A Daughters' Revenge
by IntensityxIntended
Summary: Fionna made a sacrifice for the lives of her lovers and for the future of Aaa, but as she exists between the ether and the physical, The Seeress tells her of some shocking information. Fionna has one year to return to the physical realm, to her lovers Marshall and Gumball, and another two years to come up with a plan for revenge. The clock was ticking. Can she do it? **Lemon Pt.4/6
1. Chapter 1

*****ABOUT THE FIRST PART, THE OTHER OPTION: The admins have removed the first part of this series from the site, which is why you can only find 5 out of 6 stories. I'm really sorry about that, guys. If you want a general overview of the first story, go ahead and message me and I'll send it to you. I'm going to try to post it somewhere else and post a link to it so ya'll can find it. Thank you so much for reading my work!*****

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! Welcome to my Part 4 fan fiction! If you're new to my story I highly suggest reading the other parts, so you're not too lost when you read this one.**

**Warning: This is a lemon* and can get smutty, so if you're not into that, then watch out for the chapters with smut in it.**

**I do not own or have any rights to Adventure Time, its characters, or its story.**

**I hope you all enjoy!**

What do you get when your body is frozen in death, yet you're trapped in a space between being alive and being a ghost? There's no name for it. You just… _are_.

Day 67: It's been two days since The Seeress revealed to me, in her natural gift of poetry and mysteriousness, that I was not only Fionna the Human, but that I was Fionna, daughter of Billy, the Hero of Aaa. I also learned that, among the thousands of people who were also victim to his torment, both Billy and my birth mother were murdered by the Lich. It's been two days since I've decided to take revenge for my supposed parents. I was going to kill the Lich.

The Seeress said I had one year to accept that Billy was my father, and another two years after that to come up with a plan. After a year, the ice around my body would break, and I would be free again. At least, that's what she said. It was the ultimate test. If I really did have Billy's blood, the ice wouldn't be able to hold me longer than a year. So I waited, patiently, and watched.

I watched on the crystal in front of me as life in the physical world continued to move. At first, I had no idea that time went by so quickly here, and I nearly missed the first two months. Gumball had my frozen-over body moved from the entrance hall to his personal garden. It was too much for everyone to handle, even the candy citizens who didn't know me, personally. The palace became a place of wretchedness and sorrow, just because I stood there, frozen in crystal-like ice, with my last few moments of life forever captured in time.

At first, Marshall was upset about it. He couldn't understand why Gumball would want to move me, let alone actually do it. With calmness and calculation, Gumball replied, "Fionna gave her life so that we could have ours. I will not tarnish or disrespect her wishes. I'm moving her to the garden so that every day, when I go out to tend to my plants, I can see her, and I can appreciate the life she gave for me." After that, Marshall never questioned him.

For Marshall, it was too difficult to accept that I had vanished. Every night, for hours upon hours, he would sit in the gardens and sing to me, or talk to me, and sometimes he would even sit out there in the sunlight, holding his umbrella. He didn't cry so much anymore. Instead, he pretended like I was still there, but I was just deaf, or busy, or nonresponsive. I guess, in a way, he wasn't totally wrong. If it had been any other person to burst the relics of ice from the Ice Queen and Ice King, their spirits would have transcended a long time ago. But, as I'm told, I'm meant to come back.

Today I watched as the Candy Council came to visit Gumball in his palace. They were coming to give a verdict on whether or not an extension to his obligated marriage was necessary. Peppermint Maid led them to the garden where he and Marshall were sitting on a bench together, overlooking the sunset, Marshall's umbrella protecting him from the sun. Despite all that had happened, they still found the time to love one another.

"Excuse me, Prince Gumball, but Lady Lolly, Sir Sweets and Count Candy Corn are here to see you," Peppermint Maid said gently, clearing her throat and slowly backing away.

Gumball stood up, wiped his eyes, and turned to them. "Welcome to my palace, madam, gentlemen. Please, follow me to the tea room for some tea and cake." He smiled warmly at them, but to anyone who knew him, they would easily see how hard it was for him to smile that way.

He led them through the garden and to another set of beautiful double doors, which opened up to a greenhouse type of room, with little, round white tables and cookie trays on each. He gestured for them to sit down, holding a chair out for Lady Lolly, before sitting down himself.

"Prince Gumball," the Count said in his gruff, course voice, "We understand that both of the women you were said to marry no longer… exist, if that's the correct terminology."

"That's quite right," Gumball said, dropping his eyes. "The Ice Queen is no more. She's returned to her original person, Sam Petrikov. And Fionna the Human is… is…" He bit his lip and gripped his hands hard in his lap.

"She was the one, wasn't she, Prince?" Lady Lolly asked sweetly, showing genuine concern for his discomfort. He took a deep, calming breath, and nodded at her. "I see. How terribly, inexcusably tragic."

"Are you sure there's no way to free her, Prince Gumball?" Sir Sweets asked, his back straight and his face expressionless.

"We've tried nearly everything, Sir. We have every scientist, every historian, every artifact and old world relic collector looking into it. As far as we can tell, she'll be frozen there for 100 years." The whole time he spoke, he kept his head down and bit back his tears.

The council converged for a moment, whispering amongst each other and glancing wearily at him. Finally, after a few minutes of deliberating, Lady Lolly said, "It is clear to us that you are in no condition to find an appropriate wife and queen for the Candy Kingdom. We have decided to give you a year to rest and recuperate, and by the end of that year, you must be married to a suitable wife. This is our only exception. We are very, very sorry for your loss."

Gumball nodded, whispering "thank you" under his breath. He held back his shivering and kept his eyes closed tight. Coming to his rescue, Peppermint Maid kindly led them out of the palace. When they left, Gumball let the tears go, and sobbed in his tea room until Marshall came to hold him close.

Day 93: Bubblegum, Simon and Sam have been working tirelessly to find a way to free me and to open the portal back to Ooo. So far, they found nothing. Bubblegum had reintroduced her findings on opening portals to the two scientists, and together they had been researching and calculating ways to open the portal again. They were close, The Seeress said, but if they were to stop and try what they had so far, they would be shot into a universe with no air in it. I watched, hoping to glob that they kept going.

Cake was finally warming up, but not in a good way. She had refused to believe I was gone. Flat out refused. Instead, she pretended that I was just in some other world, like I was before, like I sort of am now. Out of kindness and care, everyone played along with her. It was better that she believed I was away, rather than gone.

I noticed that Simon and Marcy were becoming close again, like they used to. Marceline missed Simon, that much was apparent, and Simon regretted everything he'd done in the past thousand years. He'd become like a father to her, always there with kind and wise advice and never constricting her or blaming her for anything. Their relationship was beautiful.

Sam and Marshall talked a lot, too. I think, under different circumstances, they would have developed a relationship much like the one Simon and Marcy were making. Marshall, though, was too wrapped up in my death to let anyone in. As the days passed, sometimes I would beg him to go to her, to talk to her. She was the rock he needed right now. But I knew that from where I was, no one could hear me. At least he had Gumball.

Tonight Marshall was singing to me, a beautiful song he'd written just for me. It was a sad song, a heart wrenching song, but it was a song that I could listen to for hours.

_"Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay_

_Were laid spread out before me, as her body once did._

_All five horizons revolved around her soul, as the earth to the sun,_

_Now the air I've tasted and breathed has taken a turn…"_

The soft, melodical tone of his voice made me feel light and warm, because I knew, even though he was torn apart on the inside, when he sang, he truly felt happiness again.

Day 145: Bubblegum, Marceline, and Finn all came to the conclusion that they, too, could work things out amongst each other. The moment they came to that agreement was the moment I jumped for joy—or, at least, I tried to jump. I had been waiting, watching them for some time, hoping that they would come together as one and just enjoy each other. I was proof that it could work. It would be hard for them, because they had mixed feelings and notions of betrayal lingering in the back of their minds, but I knew, eventually, they would get past that and learn to be happy together.

Simon uncovered a script in an old book that told of a place in Aaa that connected to its "sister land". I think today him, Bubblegum, Finn, Sam, Jake and Marcy are going to check it out. The Seeress has said nothing to me about this place. She simply gave me a nod and continued to stare blankly into the nothingness.

I recognized the place they went to. It was by the entrance to the Fire Kingdom, the same place we emerged when we made our way to Aaa. Simon was saying that the rocks there had special properties, that they existed in both worlds. Bubblegum and Sam took samples and they all headed back to the palace to do more research.

Day 202: Today marked the day that Prince Gumball started looking for a wife again. I felt hollow as I watched Peppermint Maid bring in princess after princess, all these beautiful women willing and wanting to take the throne of the Candy Kingdom and be his bride. The only catch was, they had to like Marshall and accept him, too.

That condition alone drove off more than half of the women. The other half tried their hardest to entertain the idea of loving two men, or at least tried to be okay with their husband loving another man, but that wasn't the way they liked to have a marriage. The ones who agreed to it were introduced to Marshall, and those women were either repulsed by his lack of gentlemanly charm, or were frightened by the thought of being near the Vampire King.

Marshall liked to date demons over princesses, anyway.

The line into Gumball's chambers was dwindling slowly but surely, going from a massive mob that led out the door to a few ladies who wouldn't give up. As each went in, Gumball or Marshall would find some flaw, some tiny lack of character, and immediately discharge her. Part of me was sad for these women, who traveled hundreds of miles to be the Candy Queen and who were so quickly rejected. The other part of me, the darker and selfish part of me, agreed with Gumball and Marshall. I was the only one who could love them the right way.

Day 279: At long last, Sam had found a way to open the portal to Ooo. Jake, Finn, Marcy, Bubblegum and Simon all went out there, along with Cake, who was there for moral support, and began the odd ritual. To open the portal, they needed to provide the dirt proof that they didn't belong in that land. So, each one plucked a hair and buried them all together in the dirt around the rocks. As the research had promised, the portal opened, showing Ooo untouched and ready to welcome them back.

Everyone rejoiced for them. Marcy, Bubblegum and Finn all exchanged hugs and kisses, more than ready to return. Jake wrapped himself around them, joining in on the excitement. It's almost been a year since he's seen Lady. I understood how he felt. It's hard, not being with the person you love. Or, in my case, the people.

They planned to leave that night, but before they left, Gumball decided to throw a ball in their honor, celebrating their stay and honoring Sam and Simon for their sacrifices. It was the first ball since I'd died, and, as was expected, the people who showed couldn't let loose and feel effortless like they used to. Still, everyone at least pretended to have a good time. Except Marshall. He sat in the garden and sang to me again.

After the celebration, everyone gathered at the portal spot to exchange hugs and goodbyes. It was decided that 5 strands of hair would be kept from each person, so that if they ever needed to open the portal again, it would be available for them. Gumball had all the hairs locked up tight in the laboratory safe.

With one last hug and one last "thank you" from everyone, one by one Simon, Marcy, Bubblegum, Jake and Finn all stepped through the portal. Once again, The Seeress nodded in approval. They had made it home safely.

Day 334: Gumball and Marshall had no luck finding a suitable queen. Instead, today, they went to the council and offered a new plan.

The plan was that Gumball married Marshall, and they would rule the kingdom together. Though they had no problem being eternally bonded, marrying each other was a plan made out of desperation.

The council immediately shot it down. "Remember, Prince, the only reason you are _required_ to marry is so that you produce a royal heir to the throne," Lady Lolly pressed.

"I understand that fully, but I have the technology to create an heir from our chromosomes through science. That should be enough, right?" Gumball pleaded desperately, gripping Marshall's hand for comfort.

"The rules make no mention of genetic cloning being an acceptable method of producing an heir. We're sorry, Gumball, but you must marry a woman," Count Candy Corn said flatly, not moving an inch.

"What's wrong with you people?! Why does he _have_ to marry? Heir or not, he's still the best leader this glob-forsaken kingdom has ever seen! Let him make a clone! He doesn't even need to make one with my genes, if you're all that terrified of me!" Marshall burst out, unable to contain his anger.

"Marshall, please…" Gumball squeezed his hand as he whispered, trying to calm him down.

"There's nothing we can do. If you fail to produce a wife within the allotted time, you will forfeit your kingdom to Duchess Lemon Grab. Is that understood?" Sir Sweets announced, harshly and without patience.

"Perfectly, your honor," Gumball replied, bowing to them, and turning on his heel to leave, taking Marshall with him.

Day 364: This was it. If The Seeress was right, I would be released from the ice, and this spirit form I'm in will finally return to my body. I had just a few more hours before I returned. And, as fate would have it, the conditions were perfect.

Marshall and Gumball sat together, a fire between the ice and them, gently lighting their features. Cake and Lord were there, too, cuddled together, everyone trying their best to be happy and enjoy each other's company. I knew why they were there, though. It was the anniversary of my death, and as happy as they tried to seem, they were all there to honor my passing.

Part of me was excited, thinking that this was it, this was my chance to go back. Part of me was preparing for disappointment. After all, there's no way I could be the daughter of Billy, and so there was no way I could break a hundred year curse in a year.

But all of me, every inch of my ethereal being, prayed to go back tonight.

****The song lyrics in this chapter are from the song "Black" by Pearl Jam. I do not own nor have any rights to Pearl Jam, their songs, or their lyrics. It's just one of my favorite sad songs ever :D**


	2. Chapter 2: Return

I could feel the seconds pass, _literally feel_ them. My being grew heavier, and suddenly it became more and more apparent that I needed to breathe again. I sunk closer to the ground, my floating abilities slowly escaping me. It became harder to move and easier to feel. Even though I was still in the underground cave with The Seeress, I began to feel the cold that encased my body.

"So now she returns to recant what she's learned. She must be patient in the revenge that she yearns," The Seeress chanted, her small, frail voice breaking the silence that sat between us for almost 150 days.

"Thank you, Seeress, for all you've done for me. I'll come back to you, I promise. I hope that, maybe, when all this is over, we can even be friends…" Even my voice began to change. The tone, the sound… it didn't sound like it was constantly fading now. It sounded strong, and healthy, and _here_.

The Seeress tilted her head towards me, her white eyes shifting ever slightly. "An interesting thought the adventuress brought. We shall see how she handles the blood that she sought. Until then, my friend, I'm a means to an end. I shall await your return when two years has spent."

I smiled and nodded at her, wanting to hug her, but knowing better. Without turning to me, or glancing at me, or even acknowledging my presence, The Seeress held out her small, pale hand so that it was inches from my face. That's odd… she had an eye tattooed on her palm…

Before I could think more on it, I felt myself being pulled… wait, not pulled… dragged. I was being dragged, yanked even, through a mess of color and light. It was rapid and harsh, and if I had any air in my lungs, surely it would have all been sucked out. It felt so similar to the portal I was dragged through to get to Ooo, but this time… this time, it was freezing.

It was dark, with a soft glow reflecting off hundreds of little mirrors around me. And it was cold. I couldn't move, either. There was no air, no space, no movement. The glow of the moon shifted itself into this… this _encasing_, and as I struggled free, that's all I concentrated on. I tried to scream, but I had no air. I tried to kick and punch, but I couldn't move. And it was so, so cold. So glob damn cold…

_CRACK!_

What was that?

_CRRRAACK!_

What's happening?

I heard muffled voices around me, strained voices. Wait a minute… was I… did I come back? Is that where I was now? Trapped in the ice?

Memories came flooding back to me all at once. What The Seeress said about my parents, about the Lich, and about my blood. The curse. The relics I destroyed to cast the curse. The people I saved because of it.

Then, panic set in.

I was trapped in a block of ice! What the hay? So my spirit is kept alive for a year just so my body can die again in the ice? This was so messed up!

And I couldn't breathe!

And I couldn't move!

And the ice! It was so cold! So bitter!

_CRRRAAACK!_

With that last little crack, a huge, unmelting piece of ice broke away from my head and fell to the ground, shattering. I gasped and gulped for breath, the smile that I had stuck on my face being replaced with all the panic I was feeling. The warm summer air was a shock to my senses, and the smell of the garden and the fire and _people_… it was… it was overwhelming!

_CRRRAAAACCCKK!_

Another piece broke off and shattered, and my arm was free. It was still nearly impossible to move or breathe, because the ice still fully encapsulated my body. I tried to calm myself, but there was shouting around me, and panic, and confusion, and all of it frightened me, terrified me. I tried to scream for help, but it was no use. I didn't have enough air.

_CCCRRRAAACCCKKK!_

That was it. That was the last one. That one last crack split the ice in two, and with a giant CRASH! I was free. I could breathe! And move! And… walk?

No… I couldn't walk… when I tried, my muscles were so stiff, so deeply frozen, that when I took a step, I fell over. The last thing I remember is more yelling, more panic, and then a sharp pain to my head. There was a daze of colors flashing around me, hands on me, pressure here and there, but finally, the pain in my head was too much, and everything went black.

Perfect.

I escaped the ice so I could die by hitting myself in the head.

* * *

When I woke up again, there was this bright, blazing light burning and barreling into my eyes. I tried to lift my arm to block it out, but my muscles were still half-frozen. And it felt like… like something was stuck in my arm. When I tried to turn my head away, a searing pain shot through my neck and skull, and I let out a pained gasp and exasperated groan.

"Fionna! Please, be careful!" A familiar voice rang out, and suddenly a bright pink figure appeared in my blurry vision. "We don't know how your body will react to being… alive… again. Please, try to stay still."

There were warm hands on me, on my shoulder and my forehead. I squinted at the pink thing with the soothing, familiar voice, trying to see it clearly. "What… who…" My voice cracked and croaked, and even _that_ was hard to use. "Water," I whispered. "Please, water…"

"Yes! Of course! Right away!" The hands left me as well as the voice and the pink figure, bumping the bright light out of the way. Thank glob! I was afraid I'd lose my eye sight before I could see what was happening.

The figure returned, and I felt something light and thin press against my lips. "Please, drink this. But be careful. Every one of your muscles is probably readjusting to movement again." He didn't have to tell me twice. Wrapping my lips around what I assumed was a straw hurt. Sucking on the straw hurt. Swallowing felt like getting stabbed in the neck. But still, the water tasted… _sweet_. Did water always taste this way?

"Is she awake? I heard you talking! Did she wake up?" Another familiar voice penetrated the room, but this one was full of panic and anticipation and… and pain.

"Yes, Marshall, she's awake. She just woke up." It felt like the air shifted, like something moved, but I heard no footsteps. "Marshall! Stop! Please, control yourself. Her body has been frozen and unmoving for a year! Even the slightest movement hurts her." I began to notice small details about the pink figure. He was wearing a white coat and glasses, and as the features of his face were coming together, I began to realize who it was.

"Right right, of course. Sorry," the other voice said apologetically. Then, another figure appeared above me, two piercing red dots among a mess of black and blue. I knew who that was, too.

"G—Gumball? Mar—Marshall?" I croaked again, forcing the pain down as I spoke their names.

"Yes, yes! Yes, Fionna! It's us! Oh glob, did you hear that, Marshall? She knows who we are!" Gumball shouted with excitement. Why wouldn't I know them? Things stayed silent for a moment. Marshall continued to stare down at me, though I couldn't make out his expression. Gumball turned his gaze away from Marshall and back to me, and there I could see plainly that he was smiling. "I'm going to go and get Cake and Lord. They would want to know she's awake."

Marshall didn't acknowledge him in the least. He just kept staring down at me. Gumball's figure stood up and walked away, eager to come back as soon as he could.

"I can't believe it… I can't believe you're back…" Marshall whispered in a pained, controlled voice. He had waited until Gumball left the room before speaking.

I tried my best to smile at him, but that was a lot of pain. I grunted and rethought how I would acknowledge him. "Me—ngh—either," I said in my raspy, worn down voice.

More than anything in that moment I wanted to spring out of bed and hug him, and then sprint to wherever Gumball was and hug him too. And then I wanted to hug Cake close to me, and Lord M, and tell them all how sorry I was, and tell them about my adventures and everything I saw.

A cold finger laid itself on my lips. "Shhh, Bubba said not to move too much. It could hurt you."

I wanted to tell him of course it hurt, but it was worth it. The doors burst open, and just by the energy in the air, I knew who it was.

"Oh girl, you got some explainin' to do! You've been gone for a _year_ sugar! A YEAR! We had no idea where you went!" Cake exploded as she marched over to me. In the last year that I watched everyone from that ethereal place, not once did Cake accept that I had died.

I couldn't help but chuckle at her, which sent immense pain throughout my body. "Cake, please, try to refrain from too much… energy. Her body is very, very weak, and probably in a lot of pain," Gumball tried to reason.

"I don't give a rats ass! This girl had us all climbin' up the walls in suspense! She better have a good—"

"Shut it, fur ball. Can't you see her flinch? I'm sure she'll tell us everything when it doesn't nearly kill her to talk." Marshall's voice was dark and commanding, as if Cake had truly offended him.

"No—urgh—wait—" I tried, but the pain was too much.

"Oh girl, I'm so sorry. I just got all worked up. Let's just go for now, Lord. We can come back in the morning, when she's feeling better." Cakes voice sounded sincere and apologetic. Lord tapped his hoof on the floor in agreement. "You boys better take care of her. I am _not_ losing my sister again to a couple of fools."

"Yes, ma'am," Gumball replied.

"Whatever," Marshall breathed out, his eyes fixed on me.

I heard Cake and Lord M leave, the doors slamming behind them. "Marshall, we should leave, too. She needs her rest." Gumball came up behind Marshall and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"You go. She needs someone here to watch over her. You get some sleep, Bubba," Marshall replied, laying his hand on Gumballs hand.

Gumball wanted to protest, I could feel it, but he was a kind and patient person by nature. He bent down and gave Marshall a warm kiss on the cheek, then reached over to move the hair out of my face. "I'll see you in a few hours. Sleep well, my princess." And with that, he turned and left.

My eyes felt enormously heavy with each passing second, and my breathing became lighter and lighter. Marshall gently slipped his hand under mine, causing me an incredible amount of pain. I was far too exhausted to react to it, though, which was perfect. I didn't want him to know he hurt me.

"Marshall—" I tried, but the effort was too much. I just remember him leaning over me, trying to hear my words. It was no use. Within moments, I had passed out.


	3. Chapter 3: Learning

When I woke up for a second time, I thought I had only slept a few hours. Marshall was sitting in a chair next to my bed, his head hung, his arms crossed and resting on his knees, his body slumped over. Then, in the silence, I heard light snores escaping his lips. I smiled at myself, reveling in the small things that I learned to appreciate.

I tried to move my muscles little by little and found that it was much easier to move this time around. I could lift my right arm all the way up, but my left arm still had something stuck in it. To the right of me a glass of water was sitting on the bedside table, so I tested my luck and reached to grab it. The whole process was painful, but tasting that sweet water again was well worth it. Next step: sitting up.

I found that my torso was in far more pain than my limbs and face, so when I sat up in the bed, a searing, agonizing bolt of pain rocked through my body. I gasped at the pain, that being the quietest thing I could do so I didn't wake up Marshall. It was no use. He heard me and shot straight up in shock, looking around everywhere, ready to fight whatever it was that made the noise. I chuckled a little, bearing the pain that shot through me as I did. If I could sit up, I could laugh. That was my resolve.

Marshall turned to me and smiled, realizing that, not only was I awake, but I was sitting up and smiling. "Fionna! How are you feeling?" he asked, exasperated.

"I'm better, thanks," I replied in my still raspy and worn out voice.

"How's your pain level? One to ten."

I thought about it for a moment. "Hmm, well if ten is like getting stabbed in three different places by poison swords like that one time, I'm going to say a 9." Marshall didn't even get the joke or the reference. He just floated over to the end of the bed, picked up a clipboard I didn't notice, and jotted some things down. "Hey, uh, Marshall? What's that?"

"It's your chart, Fi. Bubba said we needed to record everything on this thing so we could make sure you heal properly, or some junk like that. He told me that if you woke up again while I was on watch, I needed to at the very least record your pain level and how much you could move. He was—_we _were afraid that you might not move again." His voice sounded like a puddle of emotion; excitement, pain, exhaustion, happiness… I couldn't tell which one he felt more.

"Well tell your chart that I'm doing much better. Everything still hurts pretty bad, but I'm happy I can move. And look! It only took me a few hours to feel better!"

Marshall looked up at me from his chart with a careful and confused expression. "Fi, you've been out for 3 weeks. This is the first time you've woken up since that one time after we pulled you from the ice."

I felt my eyes go wide and my mouth drop open. _Three weeks_? That's insane! And incredibly disheartening. Here I thought I was healing pretty quickly. "Wow, uh… I guess… I guess it's still a good thing I'm healing, right?" I chuckled nervously, not totally believing my own words.

Marshall smiled warmly at me, set the chart down, and floated over the bed. He stopped right in front of me, crossed his legs, and lowered himself about half an inch above my legs, so it looked like he was sitting on the bed with me. "You are one incredible chick, Fionna." His bright red eyes penetrated my own, searching me, taking me in, setting a gateway between him and myself.

"And you are one charming vampire king," I replied, smiling back at him. I tried lifting my left arm to touch his face, but was once again pulled back by whatever it was that was stuck in it.

"Careful, that's an IV. Doctor Prince insisted that you have it, because you weren't getting the nutrients you needed without it, or some junk." He leaned over me and gently laid his hand on my own.

I giggled a little, my ribs aching with each motion. "You're not good with medical junk, are you?"

He let out a sad chuckle and blushed a little, looking away. "Nah, hospitals aren't my style." He turned his gaze on me, his eyes suddenly full of longing and want. "I can't do much for your body here, but put me in a bedroom with you, and I'll make your body beg for me." His _voice_. It was just _dripping_ with lust. It made me shudder and tingle in places I'd almost forgot about.

I laid my right hand on his shoulder and gently pushed him away, a weak and timid gesture. "You're such a perv, Marshall Lee. Praying on the weak and crippled and junk." Together we laughed, the pain soaring through me once again.

We talked together for a long, long while, laughing, giggling at stupid jokes, even flirting here and there. Mine and Marshall's relationship was always like that; light and airy half the time, deep and passionate the other half. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Marshall said, "Okay, okay, okay, I can't hog you to myself anymore. I got to call Bubba and Cake and let them know how you're doing, or they'll never forgive me." He reached over me and picked up a device attached to the bed that I had never seen before. He pressed one button and spoke into it. "Hey, Bubba, she's awake. Get Cake, okay?"

"This is wonderful! We'll be right there!" Gumball's voice echoed through the machine. Marshall smiled and laid the device back where it was.

"So, when they get here, I say you tell us what's going on. How 'bout it?" He winked at me, even throwing in an obnoxious eyebrow wiggle, as if he needed to convince me to tell my story.

"No, I think I'm going to let you all wonder about me forever and ever. Is she a zombie? Is she a ghost? Who knows! She won't say!"

Marshall literally fell back in laughter, nearly hitting his head on the footboard. Just then, Cake and Gumball ran in, worry written all over their faces.

"What the glob is going on here?!" Gumball shouted, not fully soaking in the scene yet.

"Bubba! Bubba—" Marshall was still laughing as he tried to speak. "She—pft—she says we think—hahah—we think she's a zombie or something!" With the mention of the word, Marshall was sent into a fit of laughter, and I couldn't help but join him.

Gumball stood there a little dazed, but cake covered her mouth with her paw, stifling her own laughter. "Oh sweet babies! Fi, you are too funny!"

"I guess I am!" I retorted, still chuckling.

It took us all a few minutes to calm down, the air in the room gradually weighing itself on all of us as the giggling settled.

"Fionna, are you feeling well enough to tell us what's going on?" Gumball asked patiently. He talked to me like he talked to other patients in the hospital, which was sort of annoying. I guess I understood though. In his position, I can't say I'd act much differently.

"I guess it's time, huh?" I started, taking in a deep, painful breath. "Well, you guys know what happened. I realized, once Ice Queen burst in and she was in the same pain Ice King was, that it had to do with their crowns. The Seeress told me that when two relics break, a sacrifice will be made to set my lovers free. I had no other choice. It was the only thing I could do."

The room grew heavy as I spoke, each of them reliving that day over a year ago. "The ice was so cold and so bitter, and it took the feeling away from my body as it inched up me. In my head, it seemed like it took at least a minute to get all the way around me. I wanted to leave you all with a smile, not my tears." Marshall and Gumball both looked away, frowning.

"I thought for sure I would die. Really, I did. But it was like my death, my crossing over, was interrupted. By The Seeress." The mention of her name immediately took all their attention to me. "She told me that I was neither dead nor alive. I just _was_. We were in this underground cave thing, packed full of crystals. On the biggest crystal, the one she stood in front of, I saw her watching my death. I stood with her and watched, and I saw everything. Every moment of it. In actuality, I saw every moment of the year that passed since that day. I don't know where we were or what we were doing, but time passed like a speeding river in that place. I saw _everything_."

No one knew what to say. They all stared at me, uncomprehending, unable to make sense of it. I suppose it was understandable. How do you explain living in ether when no one else knows what that is? "While I was there, The Seeress revealed some… things… to me. She told me that the curse, which was meant to last a hundred years, couldn't hold me for more than a year for one simple reason: my father. She told me that my father was…" I choked a little, not really knowing how to proceed. I took another deep breath and tried again. "My father was Billy, the Hero of Aaa."

"WWHHAAATT? Girl you have GOT to be kidding! Billy? Our idol, Billy? The greatest adventurer ever? He's your daddy? Oh sweet babies!" Cake burst out, unable to hide her confusion.

"Heh, yeah, that's what I thought, too. But she was right. She had to be. Otherwise, why would a hundred year curse only last a year for me?"

We all sat there for a few minutes, thinking, considering. Finally, Gumball broke the silence. "It does seem plausible. After all, how else would you and him have such similar qualities?"

"But that's… that's _insane_!" Marshall added, still in shock.

"Believe me, guys, I was just as surprised as you were. I decided that, if I _did_ get free after a year, I would believe her."

"So what about your momma, Fi? Where was she?" Cake asked, genuinely curious.

I hung my head, a sadness suddenly overwhelming me. "She, uh… she was killed. By the Lich."

The whole room went heavy with silence. If my mother being murdered wasn't bad enough, the name of the Lich had definitely sent terrifying and tragic ripples through us all.

"Fi, I'm so sorry, sugar…" Cake said, breaking the almost unbearable silence.

"Don't be, Cake. It may seem tragic, but I won't let him get away with it. While I was in there, I had a year to come up with a plan for revenge. I decided I'm going to kill the Lich."

Everyone seemed stunned for a moment, looking at me like I'd gone insane. "But, Fionna… you and Cake sent him to another dimension a long, long time ago. No one even knows where he is!" Gumball replied in surprise.

"The Seeress does. I have two years to come up with a solid plan before I return to her. She's going to help me get to him." Cake and Gumball answered my reply with worried looks.

Marshall, though, looked beyond excited. "Glob yeah! This is awesome!" I smiled excitedly at him, happy that he was so willing to be on my side.

"Marshall!" Gumball hissed, trying to passively get him to change his mind.

"What? She's got a point. Billy was Aaa's hero, man! He deserves some cold, sweet revenge. And who better to dish it out than his own badass daughter? This is going to be epic!" Marshall replied, now floating above us all in his enthusiasm.

Cake smiled at us, chiming in. "Alright, girl, I'm in. Let's get this baddy! For Billy! For Aaa!"

"You've all gone insane. Don't you remember the terror he spread? The people he's killed? He's not some beast you can just slaughter and be done with! He's some sort of otherworldly demon!" Gumball was shocked at us, completely unwilling to accept our resolution.

"I don't care what he is or how terrifying he can be. He killed my parents. He killed Billy. He doesn't deserve to live." My voice sounded strong and defiant as I stared Gumball down. Still, he wouldn't budge. He just crossed his arms and looked away.

"Fine. If I can't change your mind then I won't. But please, at least think it over. This is the second time we've almost lost you, Fionna. Don't make us lose you again." Gumball looked back at me with sadness and pleading in his eyes. I had to drop my head and look away from him.

"I'm sorry, Gumball. I'm sorry for causing you guys so much pain." Again, things went quiet. I didn't expect anyone to say "it's okay" or "just don't do it again". Making people believe you were dead twice was a hard thing to come back from.

"Well, we're all happy you're back, sugar. I tried to tell these fools for months that you just went away for a while. I'm glad you can finally tell them yourself that you weren't _dead_."

I chuckled at her, but the pain I kept experiencing was beyond exhausting. I didn't realize how tired I was getting. "Thanks Cake. I, uh, I think I want to go back to sleep now."

I heard agreeing mumbles from around me as one by one they got up to go. Gumball helped me lay back down, kissing my forehead gently. Marshall's cold hand came and stroked my cheek from the other side of the bed, and Cake's paw gingerly grasped my hand.

"I'll stay with her for now, Marshy. Go get some rest." Their voices were fading again, but I heard Marshall say something to him in agreement. Gumball sat in the chair next to my bed, his hand on mine, as Cake and Marshall made their way out of the hospital room.

For a moment I wondered how long I would sleep this time, but that thought faded, like everything else, as my pain melted away and I slowly fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4: Pressure

It took nearly a month for me to be able to get on my feet and move on my own. Every day Cake, Gumball and Marshall would help me out, holding me while I walk. After a while, I got the hang of it, and I was able to glide through the palace like my old self. Of course everything still hurt, but it wasn't a sharp, searing pain anymore. Now it was just dull and achy, like my muscles protesting movement because of their stiffness.

Finally they took those tubes out of my arm, and I was able to stuff my face full of the amazing food that Peppermint Maid had set up for everyone. A week ago was the first time that we all—meaning me, Cake, Marshall, PG _and_ Sam—ate together. I guess Sam just took up permanent residence in the castle, coming on as the lead researcher for Gumball and the Candy Kingdom. Cake's been hanging out a lot, too, to make sure I was doing alright.

Today was Gumball's turn to take me for my walk outside. For whatever lame reason, everyone got all freaked out when I said I wanted to go outside, so I always had an escort. They probably thought I would run away or something. But who am I to argue? The company of my lovers and friends was something I cherished more than anything nowadays.

"So, Fionna, I have to ask… when you were in that other world, and you were watching us, did you see… did you see me and Marshall…" He stuttered and fumbled over his words, his face going hot and his body tensing.

I squeezed his hand gently and smiled up at him. "Did I see you guys interviewing potential wives? Yeah. I saw the whole thing. You two are so mean sometimes, you know that?" I tried to make it sound light and fun, but I think he took it deeper than that.

"I know. I sent apology letters to all of the kingdoms, explaining my situation. Some of them were returned to me, others were replied to with hate mail, but there were a few princesses who understood my blight." He kept his eyes focused on the ground, deep in thought, as we walked together in silence for a minute, enjoying the sunset over the garden, the breeze flowing through my airy dress and loose hair. "Did you see… the other thing?"

I knew what he was talking about. He was asking if I had seen him try to convince the council that he and Marshall should marry. "I did. I think it's super lame that they didn't let you do it. They act like a clone of you and Marshall is some disaster waiting to happen! What idiots." He chuckled a little, though not enough to convince me that he didn't feel ashamed for trying to pick out a new wife. I stopped us and made him turn to face me, his eyes avoiding contact with mine. "Gumball, it's okay. I promise. You did what you had to do."

"It's not that," he said, nearly interrupting me. "It's just… I have a little over a month left to be married and have a legitimate wife for the Candy Kingdom. More than anything in the entire universe, I want that person to be you. But this timing… it just isn't right. After all you've been through, I couldn't possibly expect you to marry me within a month. That's just selfish of me, and heartless, even. That kind of pressure shouldn't have to fall on your shoulders."

I understood what he meant and how he felt. Immediately I was brought back to that place where I was so unsure of marriage that I told him no. And yet, here we were again, with a completely new situation and completely new circumstances. "Gumball, I won't be offended or hurt or pressured if you asked me to marry you in a month. The thought is terrifying, I won't lie, but it's beyond just you and me. This is for the good of the Candy Kingdom." I smiled up at him, resting my palm on his flushed cheek. "I love you. I _know_ I want to spend the rest of my life with you and with Marshall. I guess the only thing that terrifies me is the title. And maybe the responsibility, a little bit."

He giggled at that, gently wrapping his arms around me and bringing me into an embrace. Everyone had been extra careful around me so as not to hurt me more than I already hurt, and affection was definitely downgraded for the time being. So this hug was nice in its own, painful way. "You are _incredible_, Fionna. Truly incredible," he whispered into my ear. Then he pulled away, smiling, and fell to one knee, with my hand in his and his face blaring a huge smile up at me. "Fionna the Human, will you officially marry me?"

I covered my mouth with one hand and turned my eyes away. I know I agreed to marrying him a long time ago, but the vision of him on his knee, the smile on his face, the happiness in his eyes. For some reason, it all connected together in my head. My worries and doubts flooded away with his simple question. I fell to my knees, too, and swung my arms around him, ignoring the dull pain pulling at my muscles. "Of course I will, Prince Gumball," I whispered into his neck, tears starting to overflow in my eyes.

We held each other there for a long time, long enough for the sun to actually set behind the mountains in the distance. When we finally pulled away and stood up, there was just enough light left to get back into the castle without turning the lamps on.

"Is it alright if we announce it?" he asked me, overjoyed and filled with excitement. I can only imagine the pressure that was finally off his shoulders. Not only did he find a queen, but he convinced a woman he loved to be his wife. For him, this must be the ultimate news.

I giggled at his excitement and leaned my head against his arm as we walked. "Okay, but only if you do it wearing nothing but a bow tie on your neck."

He chuckled heartily at me before saying, "You're cute, but you're not that cute. I'll announce it at dinner tonight, and have Peppermint Maid start on the preparations. We'll marry on the day the council demands I have a wife. I think it'll be a nice 'screw you', don't you think?"

"Woooow," I laughed, "my fiancé is a badass now! Marrying me to insult the council! Oh no, watch out!"

He may not have found it as amusing as I did, but he did laugh with me. As we walked up the patio, through the entrance hall, up the stairs and into the dining room, he chatted away about dresses and suits and preparations and times. In all my life, this was the most excited I'd ever seen him.

"Well well well! Looks like the happy couple was having an exceptionally good night!" Marshall announced to the whole dining room. Everyone was already seated and waiting for us so they could begin dinner. Except Marshall, who floated above his chair like the king of gravity, like furniture insulted his being.

Gumball didn't even hear him. He just held me close to him and raised his arm, clearing his throat. "Attention everyone! We have an announcement!" He stopped and smiled down at me, his face nearly unable to contain his excitement. "Fionna has agreed to marry me! We'll be married in a little over a month, on the last day the council will allow me to have before providing them with a queen!"

There was a loud cheer and outburst from everyone. They all stood up and hooted and howled, clapping as loud as they could. Even the cooks and the servants came out to cheer. The whole kingdom probably could have heard.

Peppermint Maid trotted over to us, her eyes bright with anticipation. "Master Gumball, when shall we start the preparations?"

"As soon as possible! I was thinking we could have a veranda wedding, and we'll invite as many people from all over as the palace can hold!" He gently squeezed me before taking a break in his lengthy description of his dream wedding. He gave me a light kiss on the lips and smiled at me. "Fionna, please eat. Peppermint Maid and I are going to plan the wedding." He let go of me then and turned to PM, babbling on in hushed tones about color schemes and cake designs and such as they walked briskly from the dining room, PM smiling and nodding the whole time.

I went and took my usual seat next to Marshalls useless chair, my plate already full with all kinds of meats and fruits. I think I was more excited about the food than the wedding.

"Hey, uh, Fi? Don't you care at all that you're not being included in the wedding planning?" Cake asked from beside me, watching me stuff my face. I looked up and noticed that everyone was watching me.

"Nope," I answered, my mouth full of some kind of delicious meat.

"Really? Not at all? Didn't you dream of this for the longest time?" Cake pushed, cautiously and carefully.

"Not in the least. I don't really care what colors it'll be or who's going to be there. My dream was to marry the guy. I couldn't care less how the wedding goes." I had hardly finished talking before stuffing that chicken leg back into my mouth.

"Ha ha! That's my girl! Straight to the point. Let Gummy deal with all that frilly stuff. It's his thing. You might kill him if you take it away from him," Marshall chuckled from above us, sucking the red right out of an apple.

I let out some sort of twist between a grunt and a "yeah" as I kept eating. Cake eyed me warily, but eventually, she, too began to stuff her face.

Honestly, I didn't see the big deal. So what? It's a wedding. They happen all the time. And besides, Gumball was _all_ over this. I was afraid that if I gave an opinion that didn't match his own, he'd rip my head off himself. I figured it was best to leave those details to him.

What really worried me was what would happen _after_ the wedding. Gumball said that he didn't expect anything different of me, but what about the rest of the kingdom? I would be their queen, so surely I would need to do _some_ queenly things, right? I mean, Gumball couldn't always be there to handle my duties. It was a responsibility that terrified me. If only Gumball wasn't a prince…

I sighed to myself as I thought about it. Gumball _is_ a prince. And my stupid butt just happened to fall in love with him. But, you know what? Whatevs! I traveled to a whole other world for the guy. I froze myself in ice for that man! I could handle being queen. How hard could it be? Right?

Right?

My mood drastically lowered as I thought about it. I would freeze myself in ice a thousand times if I could avoid _responsibility_. Just the word made me tremble.

_You're doing it for Gumball, Fionna. And you're doing it for the Candy Kingdom. All of the citizens here adore you and know who you are. They'll understand when you'd rather go on adventures instead of signing petitions. You'll be fine._

I sighed again, this time more contented. My inner voice was right. I've done so much for those people, and they tell me every day how much they appreciate me and my heroic actions. Surely they won't want me to give up saving their sorry butts from danger so I could listen to them whine, or throw balls, or… or whatever queens do.

Yeah! Things would be alright!

I hope…


	5. Chapter 5: The Big Day

Oh my glob! Oh my glob! Oh my GLOB! I was _so_ nervous. Like, this close to puking, nervous. What the junk was I _doing_? Okay, so marrying Gumball was like, my dream forever ago, but now that it's actually happening? It was like… I don't even know!

Queen Fionna.

Queen Fionna of the Candy Kingdom.

Mrs. Fionna Gumball.

I was shaking and jittering as Sam worked and weaved through my mess of hair. I wanted to bite on my nails for comfort, but those were painted this weird light pink color, and the polish was disgusting. I tried to tap my foot, but it had been stuffed into this tiny little white shoe with a really long heel on it. Whoever Gumball hired to be in charge of my outfit was either out to get me or never bothered to factor in the fact that I'm an _adventurer_ and not a _princess_.

"Fionna, please, calm down a little. You'll be fine, sweetheart. Like you said before, it's just a wedding," Sam cooed as she wrapped one long strand of hair around a growing ball on the back of my head.

"Yeah, a wedding that puts me in the queen's throne! What was I thinking! I'm no queen! I'm a monster slayer!"

"You are Aaa's hero, and you are madly in love with the prince. Even the candy people are excited to see you as queen. They all adore you." She gently twisted another strand of my hair that hung near my face, trying her hardest to calm me down.

I took four deep breaths to calm the jittering before starting again. "It's just a lot of responsibility, Sam. I mean _a lot_. Kicking Marshall's butt into shape or nagging Cake to get out of bed is the extent of my governing abilities. I can't handle a whole nation!"

"You won't have to. Gumball has done a marvelous job of keeping this kingdom safe and happy for many years. That won't change just because you're here. It never has. He'll ask for your opinions, I'm sure, but being a king is in his nature. You have nothing to worry about. I promise." Sam leaned over me to reach for something sitting on the counter behind me, then began carefully pinning small doodads into my hair. I threw such a huge fit about getting the dress on last, so at least I could sit here in my good ol' fashioned skirt and shirt. That dress was _beautiful_. I couldn't deny that. But it was so constricting! How do princesses manage to breathe on a day to day basis?

I entertained thoughts of using my queenly powers to ban all corset dresses in the kingdom, just so women could have a little more freedom, when Sam interrupted my musings. "I think you're all done, sweetheart. Here. Take a look." She turned my swivel chair around, bringing me face to face with my reflection.

I was… I was _GORGEOUS_! Marshall and Gumball tell me that all the time, but _wow_! My hair was pulled back and out of my face into a neatly wrapped bun in the back, leaving two long, curled strands to trail down along my face and lightly touch on my chest. There were tiny little diamonds glittering in my hair, making it all look like some mystical beach or something. And my face! I don't know how Cake did it, but she used that make up to make my eyes look like little pools from the ocean. My lips were painted a soft pink, a color almost matching my cheeks. I looked, well, like a queen.

"What do you think?" Sam asked, leaning over me to smile at me in the mirror.

"I… I don't know what to say… other than your genius extends far past just science. No wonder princesses get all done up all the time. This is… this is incredible!"

Sam giggled at my surprise, feeling satisfied in her work. Over the last few months, I've come to know her as quite a perfectionist. She never did anything half way. I didn't like to think about it, but that's probably how she became so attached to the tiara.

"I'm glad you like it, Fionna. Hopefully now you have the confidence to walk out there and say 'I do'."

I stood up and twirled around, ready to give her a giant bear hug, but tripping on my stupid shoes instead. She laughed openly at my mistake, but helped me to my feet, anyway. "Thanks, Sam," I said, finally leaning in for a careful hug. She hugged me back tightly.

"Go get 'em, tiger," she said, pulling away from me and winking.

I smiled happily at her, my heart feeling so much lighter since I'd talked to Sam. I tripped and wobbled and slid my way to the room where they were preparing my dress. Cake was already in there, barking out orders to the servants, determined to have me look perfect for my twilight wedding.

When I stumbled in, cursing under my breath, everyone stopped dead in their tracks to look at me. I glanced around the room for a moment, wondering where all the bustle went to. Cake broke the silence for me. "Oh my _glob_! Fionna, honey, you look _amazing_!" Everyone mumbled and nodded in agreement, and my face flushed volcano hot with the compliment.

"Thanks, Cake… heh heh…" I blushed and went to play with my hair, stopping myself short before ruining it.

"Oh stop it, Fionna. You've been gorgeous from day one. Now get that pretty butt over here so we can get this dress on you!" Cake demanded, her order suddenly getting everyone moving again, including myself. I stumbled and wobbled my way over to the dress, Cake shaking her head at my clumsiness the whole way.

I didn't even have time to mentally prepare myself. Three servants pulled my skirt, t-shirt, and bra off in one quick motion, then slipped the dress over my head quickly and with precision, two of them falling to the back to tighten and lace up my corset top. With each tug I could feel my life slowly slipping away again.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of torture, the servants tied a bow out of the laces on the bottom of the corset top, signifying their final stage of crushing my ribs. A few other people came around and fluffed out the dress or readjusted my boobs or fixed that ruffle, all at the command of Dress General Cake. I gave up trying to escape and just stood there as everyone plucked and pulled at me. I knew everything was done when Cake stepped in front of me and looked me up and down with a smile on.

"Girl, you are going to blow the kingdom away. Go on, have a look at yourself."

With her permission, I did the best turn I could with the limited space I had. The moment my eyes met the mirror, I suddenly understood why people put so much into this whole thing. I didn't just look like a princess now, I looked like an angel. The dress was a long, slim, form-fitting white gown with a ruffle in the back and a train that went on forever. The corset around my torso was intricately decorated with all kinds of pink diamonds, with lace and delicate fabric holding it all together. The gown around my hips and legs was silky and glittery, like it could glisten in either the sunlight or moonlight.

Cake stretched up behind me and hung the blue pendant that Gumball had given me almost two years ago around my neck. With that little piece, I looked complete.

I may not have been queen material, but my glob, I could look the part.

"Everyone's ready, sweetie. They're all waiting for you. It's time to go," Cake nudged, trying to get me to take my eyes off the mirror.

I gulped and nodded, turning away from the mirror and stepping off the pedestal carefully. I was a class A clutz, but I was _not_ going to mess this up. Cake handed me my bouquet of beautiful pink and white flowers, dotted with shining pink pearls and diamonds. Gumball didn't spare anything on this wedding.

I began my descent through the palace slowly, Cake following behind me and keeping my dress in line as we walked. When we reached the door to the veranda, Cake gave the go-ahead, and two men in black suits opened the double doors.

A rush of sensations hit me at once. The glow of the setting sun glinted gently off my dress and the glitter on my bouquet. There were flower petals flowing gently in the breeze in front of me, all pink and white, and the scent of the garden on this warm summer evening pulled the scene together beautifully.

But then, there he was, just in front of me. Landing after landing was covered with seated guests, all turning anxiously to get a look at me, but none of that mattered. None of the looks mattered, none of the awe's mattered, not even the comments mattered. Gumball was standing there, at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in a white suit with a pink button-shirt, smiling his gorgeous, excited smile, waiting for me.

It was better than my dreams.

I wanted to run to him, but as luck would have it, my beating heart and lack of breath could only let me take small baby steps. As I descended each stair, passed each landing, I felt the eyes follow me in awe and wonder. All of them were looking to me. Not one person was looking away. But still, I didn't care, I had to get to Gumball.

I finally passed the stairs and walked down the white carpet that led to where he was standing, under a beautifully and intricately designed terrace, covered in all kinds of exotic and rarely seen flowers and vines. Our eyes connected, and it was like fiery hot electricity between us. Again, my instincts told me to throw the bouquet and jump into his arms, but again my nerves kept me standing still in front of him, clutching the bouquet, smiling big and wide right at him.

Marshall poked his head out from behind Gumball, and for the first time I noticed him standing there, in his black vest and pants and red button-up, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He smiled approvingly at me, giving me the feeling that everything was going to be okay. To just breathe.

"We are gathered here today to witness the joining of two souls, Prince B. Gumball of the Candy Kingdom, and Fionna the Human of Aaa. Before we begin, are there any objections to these two individuals getting married?" the officiate asked.

Silence. Good.

"Then I shall begin. Prince Gumball, it has been your responsibility to take the upmost care of the Candy Kingdom. Do you hereby swear to provide the same love and attention to Fionna, from this day forth?"

"I do." There wasn't a single ounce of doubt in his voice. His smile was so wide that you might have missed the sparkle in his eyes.

"And do you, Fionna the Human, hereby swear to protect and fight for Gumball with the same care and consideration you take with those in need?"

I was so nervous. My heart beat wildly in my chest and I could feel myself shaking. But it wasn't because I was afraid. Not even a little. It was because I wanted everyone to hear the strength and determination in my voice as I said those two little words.

"I do."

"Then I hereby pronounce you husband and wife, and king and queen of the Candy Kingdom. Fionna, you may kiss the groom!" I heard a roar of laughter at the change in normalities that the officiate added in, but I didn't care. I dropped my ridiculously expensive bouquet of flowers and pearls and diamonds onto the ground and leaped into his waiting arms, smashing my lips to his in what I'm sure was probably the sloppiest and most uncontrolled kiss in wedding history. But who was I kidding? I'd been waiting to kiss him since those doors swung open.

I felt a tap on my shoulder, so I broke our obnoxious but much awaited kiss to turn and see Marshall there. He was so handsome in his fancy get-up, and it took all my strength not to attack him, too, in my moment of happiness. But we had agreed just yesterday that this moment was for Gumball and I. So instead, I grabbed his hand, then turned to grab Gumball's as well, and together, we walked back up the aisle.

We were finally a happy, married trio.


	6. Chapter 6: Revisited

To my surprise, not many people were offended, or even slightly put off, by the three of us walking up the aisle together. I thought for sure that _someone_ would cry blasphemy, but not a single negative word was spoken. All of the 500 guests just stood up and clapped and cheered for us, throwing flower petals and pieces of candy over us as we walked.

When we walked back into the palace, the whole place had been transformed into one of the fanciest balls I'd ever seen. There were streamers and glowing globes and flowers and silk laces all over the place, with the whole room lined with tables upon tables of food and drinks, and one table in the center with a massive cake on it. There was even a wall dedicated to wedding gifts. I secretly hoped to myself that half of those were new adventuring gear, or something cool like that.

As everyone filed in, people took the opportunity to greet us at the door and congratulate us on a beautiful wedding before waltzing their way to one of the small, round tables scattered about the room. There was a live band—of whom I found out that Marshall picked, but they didn't do a bad job of setting the mood, so Gumball didn't complain—and chefs at a few of the tables who made special order dishes. A gigantic dance floor was set up just around the stage, where some people darted straight to, just to get a good look at the demon band from the Nightosphere.

"Fionna, my love, I believe it's time we had our first dance," Gumball leaned down and whispered into my ear, still holding my hand. He nodded to Marshall, and Marshall nodded back, suddenly very interested in the array of red vegetables a few tables over.

Gumball nearly flew to the dance floor, my hand gripped in his. Everyone began to make a circle around us, and the band started playing a slow, melodical number that even I could dance to. Gumball turned to face me, sliding his hand across my lower back and pulling me towards him, holding our hands up in the air, like a traditional ballroom dance. His pink eyes smiled into mine, the bright excitement of the night glowing around him. I couldn't help but smile at him. This was my husband, and man, did I know how to pick them!

As the music continued, a low, beautiful voice set in, and I instantly knew what the nod was all about. Marshall was singing for us, the way he sang to me while I was frozen, but with so much joy and happiness his words could hardly contain it. I shot him a big huge grin before leaning my face into Gumball's chest, letting him sway me back and forth.

"How does it feel to be my queen?" Gumball asked into my hair as we danced.

"I think the real question is, how does it feel to be my king?" I retorted, not letting him get the upper hand so easily.

He chuckled a bit and replied, "Like the heavens themselves came to bless me today. I am one lucky man." He kissed my head lightly, and we continued to dance there together, under the soft tones of Marshall's voice, and amongst the love and pride of our guests, for a long time.

* * *

It was hard to get much of anything done the rest of the night. We kept getting pulled aside for dancing or congratulations, and some people even asked me about the whole ice ordeal. For the first couple of hours, I thought it was kind of nice to be the center of attention, but it got real boring, real quick.

Finally, Gumball and I cut the cake, a red velvet one with this delicious strawberry cream cheese frosting. We had to keep Marshall in mind, after all. Gumball fed me my piece, but I took the low road and stuffed his piece in his face. The roar of laughter from the crowd around us made it ten times better, and then, when Marshall took revenge and stuffed his piece down my cleavage, the crowd went wild. Literally. Cake had to wrap half of them up with her body to stop an all-out food fight.

As upset as Gumball was for Marshall pretty much ruining my dress, I was more than pleased with him. It gave me the perfect excuse to go upstairs and change into something more breathable. I whispered to them that I was going to quietly excuse myself from the party to change.

Suddenly, they both needed to change, too.

"Guys, really? There's 500 people here! We can't do that right now!" I whispered to them harshly, a little stunned at their… want.

"It's our wedding night, Fionna. We can do whatever we want," Gumball grinned, his handsome face really weakening my resolve.

"Yeah, Fi, give it a rest. These stuck-ups can party themselves out. Besides, I haven't given you guys my wedding gift yet," Marshall teased, leaning in close to me, making me hot and sending shivers through my body.

As if resisting them wasn't hard enough, I had to consider the fact that everyone had spent the last almost three months trying not to touch me, just so I wouldn't be in pain. Not to mention the year I spent in ice. I haven't been… touched… in over a year.

And they knew it.

"Fionna, let us have you," Marshall whispered, his face inching closer to mine, his devilishly handsome smile penetrating my defenses with the force of an army.

"Let us take care of your body, Fionna," Gumball whispered from behind me, his hands gently gliding up from my shoulders to my neck.

I shuddered from the touch, biting back a moan and forcing my mind to stop wandering back to all of the things they could do to me.

Marshall slipped his finger into my cleavage, pulling out a bit of cake, and slipping it into his mouth. Oh glob, I wanted them _so_ badly.

_Fionna! The guests! Don't abandon them on your first night as queen!_

Shut up, inner voice! I don't need your junk right now. I mean, we can be quick, right? Quick enough to let the guests think I just needed to change… right?

"So what'll it be, my queen? Will you let your kings pleasure you tonight?" Gumball asked in his seductive voice. Oh glob, he's spent too much time with Marshall. Way too much time.

My knees went weak, and the space between my thighs was suddenly hot and tingly. When I tried to close my legs around it, it just made it worse. I dropped my gaze and nodded at them, too worked up to say any words. They did it. They got right through me.

"Very well, m'lady," Marshall purred, bowing to me, like a knight to his queen. "Why don't you head up first, and we'll follow in a little bit. Don't need to cause any suspicion, do we?"

I waved my head back and forth in a "no". Gumball laid his hands on my shoulders and turned me around, setting my direction so I wouldn't fumble over where I was going. "Meet us in the Royal Couple's room. I think it's time we revisited it, as husband and wife," he whispered, his voice losing its seductive edge and filling with sincerity and joy. He let go of me, then turned to Marshall and hooked his arm in Marshall's arm. "Lady Lolly! How nice of you to attend the wedding! I hope you're enjoying yourself," he called out as they walked away.

That was my cue to get the heck out of there. Gumball's hushed tone helped me to calm down a little, so I could at least focus on where I was going. I never forgot where that room was, even though I've only been in it once. I never forgot that first night, when everything started; the taste of Gumballs lips for the first time, the excitement I felt about being with him, and the disappointment I felt in his motives. Then Marshall, in my home, waiting to be angry with me, but showing his true feelings for me instead. What a night that was. For a short moment, I wondered how things would have turned out if I just didn't go to that ball. Or if I said no to both of them, or if I had just chosen one.

No. That was impossible. I couldn't live my life without one or the other. I needed to have them both. Maybe I was selfish. Maybe I was heartless. I didn't care. I loved Marshall and Gumball. I loved them with every ounce of my being. And I knew they loved me, too.

I felt like I had only been walking a few minutes, but when I finally broke from my nostalgic daze, I found myself right in front of those double doors to the room that was so big, it sized up the tree house.

_"Well, yes, it's big because it's meant for two people."_

So. This would be my room, now. I opened the double doors, letting the scent and the colors and the sheer size overwhelm my senses with memories. The room itself looked virtually untouched, the same as it had 3 years ago, except for all of the pink and white flower pedals covering the floor and bed and furniture. There were candles lit everywhere, illuminating the gigantic room in a soft glow. Those little suckers! They planned this!

I sauntered in, taking in the look and feel of everything. The gigantic bed had a beautiful white, see-through canopy over it, giving the illusion of privacy. There had to be at least 4 sofas in the room, along with 7 sitting chairs, 3 love seats, and book cases and desks littering the walls. The place looked like a haven for Gumball. I could see why this room would be dedicated to a royal couple.

There was a note on the bed that read,

_"Fionna,_

_You have been so strong for so long. Let us take care of you tonight._

_ -PG & Marshall"_

I smiled down at the note, running my fingers back and forth on the soft, silky sheets, letting the flower petals ruffle between my fingers. I set the note down and walked to the full-body mirror to get a good look at the damage. My face and hair looked untouched, perfect, and my dress was still as dazzling as it was when I put it on. Except for the big red and pink stain on my chest. I let out a sigh and shook my head, reaching behind me to pull on the laces of the corset. With one, hard tug on the laces, the corset loosened a notch. Then, with the strength and might of a bear, I pulled the corset apart, releasing my body from its breath-stealing prison. As soon as it was loose enough to slip off, the whole dress fell to the floor around my feet. I was free!

I reached over to a dresser that held some very high-quality tissues on it and began to wipe the cake from my breasts, giggling to myself at the look on Gumballs face when I smashed his piece into his cheek. I took off my bra to clean under my breasts, and let that fall to the floor, too. I was left with nothing but panties around my hips. White, like my dress. I can't believe Gumball had me wear matching undergarments.

I threw the tissue into a trash bin by a nearby desk before reaching for my hair. As beautiful as it looked in the mirror, it was still uncomfortable. One by one I pulled the diamonds out and set them on the dresser, secretly thanking Sam in my head for doing such a beautiful job. Then slowly I began to unwind the ball of hair on the back of my head, letting the curling blonde strands fall piece by piece to the small of my back and around my shoulders, my bangs falling to their rightful place in front of my face.

I looked at myself in the mirror for a minute, observing my body, my face, my hair. I had a glow about me, like it came from my creamy, smooth skin. Even through the make-up, you could see my features smiling without me even trying. The wild curls and twists of my hair that hung like waterfalls cascading down my shoulders, past my breasts, and down to my tummy, were beautiful, even to me.

Then, I realized. Whether adventuress or queen, I was still Fionna the Human. I could do whatever the hell I wanted to do, and no title, no threat, no responsibility, would ever frighten me enough to keep me from who I wanted to be.


	7. Chapter 7: Your Majesty

I didn't realize how long I had been standing there in front of the mirror, looking at my naked body, thinking about who I was. I heard the door unlock behind me, and in the reflection I saw Marshall and Gumball slink in, one after the other, Marshall quietly shutting the door behind him.

They both had this look of awe and satisfaction on their faces as they gazed at my body, both in the mirror and in the flesh. I blushed under their hungry gazes, letting my hair fall in front of my face. Slowly they paced towards me, a grin curling on Marshalls face as Gumball bit his lip.

"What a beautiful sight you are, Your Majesty," Marshall purred, bowing to me again, his eyes staying glued to me, glowing through his hair.

"Yes, she is magnificent, isn't she?" Gumball asked, walking past the bowing Marshall and straight to me. "Absolutely beautiful in every way." He wrapped his arms around my tummy, pressing himself to my back and burying his face in my hair.

Marshall strode in front of me and began to run his cool hands up my arms, around my shoulders, down my collar bone, around my breasts, down my stomach, and finally stopping at my hips. I let out a quick breath at the touch, longing for this feeling for far too long, and leaned my head back on Gumballs shoulder. Gumball joined in, stroking and caressing every curve of my body. Being between them like this made my body ache, but not in the way it had been for the last two months. It ached for _them_, my kings.

"Nngh! Please…" I whispered in a hushed tone, my eyes shut tightly as I felt every stroke and caress of their hands.

"What do you desire, my queen?" Gumball asked in between gently laying kisses along my neck and jawline, his and Marshalls' fingers just dancing around those spots that I really wanted to be touched.

"Please… mmm… please—touch me…" I whimpered to them, ready to beg for it. Never in my life had I felt a _need_, a _hunger_ like this before.

Marshalls lips crashed into mine, passionately, hungrily, intensely, his fangs poking my lips and tongue in his rush for passion. When he pulled away, I had to gasp for air, but he just smiled his seductive grin. He sank to his knees, laying small, gentle kisses as he went, his eyes never leaving mine. When he reached my panties, he licked the linen that separated his tongue from my slit, making me cringe and bite back a moan of pure, absolute _need_. Again, he licked me there, and again I squirmed under his tongue and between Gumballs arms, the feeling of his hot breath so close to those beyond sensitive parts. Gumball pulled my chin to meet his face, where his lips met mine in a flurry of passion and sweetness. When Marshall gently bit me and licked me again, I moaned into Gumballs kiss. This went on, back and forth, Marshall licking me through my panties and Gumball swallowing my moans, until I finally reached that point where I was about to attack them both. Just then, Marshall ripped my panties straight off of me, gripped my hips hard, and plunged his tongue into my slit, making me break my kiss with Gumball and cry out in pleasure. I felt Marshalls lips smile against me just before he pulled away and stood up, giving me a very, very small taste of what I wanted. He crushed his body to mine, pinning me between them, and forcing a kiss on me, my juices still all over his mouth. I tasted… _sweet_. His tongue pushed itself into my mouth, exploring me, tasting me, him moaning into the kiss. Then he pulled away, and forced the same kiss on Gumball, letting Gumball taste my juices.

I watched the kiss until they broke it, totally entranced in their connection. I spent an entire year watching them love each other from a crystal, but being this close to it was almost mind-blowing. They really did feel the same for each other as they did for me. Just the thought of it made my heart swell and my body ache for them again.

I wrapped my fingers around the buttons on Marshalls shirt and vest, desperate to see at least one of them naked. He took my lead and began to do the same for Gumball, standing behind me. The clothes seemed like they couldn't get off fast enough, but within minutes, the three of us stood, completely bare, in the center of a ring of clothes. I took the opportunity to gaze at them as they stood in front of me. Marshalls body was slim and toned, and he stood just an inch or so taller than Gumball. His shaggy black hair looked like it grew, now covering his eyes most of the time. His fangs poked out from his lips when he smiled at me, and it sent hot chills down my spine. Gumball wasn't quite as slim as Marshall, but he had muscle that no one but the two of us ever saw. His pink skin glowed in the candle light, and his dark, vibrant pink hair wisped up naturally to make a perfect frame around his handsome face. Both of them had this beautiful v-shape going down to their crotches that I couldn't help but trail my fingers down. I inched my way down to their groins, feeling the heat rise from both of them at once, marveling at how hard and ready they were.

They both grabbed the hand that was only moments away from touching them, stroking them, feeling them, and instead walked me over to the massive bed.

"Not tonight, Your Majesty," Marshall said under his breath, grinning at me.

"Tonight is our night to please _you_," Gumball finished for him. The more time I spent in this room, the more I realized exactly how long they had been planning this.

I climbed onto the bed and crawled to the center, laying my head and hair out across the pillows. Apparently, this was exactly what they wanted. They both crawled towards me from the foot of the bed, but stopped just short of my hips. Together, they each took a leg and hooked it over a shoulder, and slowly lowered their heads.

_Two_ tongues! _Two _sets of lips! I couldn't keep up with who was doing what! There were two tongues dancing inside of me, four lips sucking and pulling on mine. I almost forgot to breathe as the pleasure of it overwhelmed me. One tongue twirled around my clit as another penetrated me inside. One set of lips kissed me gingerly as the other sucked on those ridiculously sensitive parts. Then, someone slipped a finger into me, and I yelped from the amazing feeling. Another finger entered me, and together they twisted and swirled and stroked against those deep spots. And their _eyes_! Just watching their glowing eyes watch me writhe and moan in pleasure was too much. I had no defense against it. I haven't been touched like this in over a year. Before I could catch my breath, I felt my whole body flood itself with wave after wave of ecstasy, my voice screaming into the nearest pillow as I involuntarily bucked and writhed in the warm, electric sensations.

One by one, they poked their heads up from my groin, Marshall licking his lips and Gumball looking hazy. Between gasps for breath I tried to smile at them, but it was harder than I expected. Gumball crawled up beside me and turned me on my side. My whole body was limp to his touch, his kisses trailing their way around my shoulder and up my neck before he started nibbling on my ear. I felt his rock hard member press in between my cheeks, and it made me writhe for want of him. I wanted him inside of me. I wanted that physical closeness, that amazing feeling of physical pleasure that he could give me. He adjusted himself so his member slipped between my lips, letting my juices cover him as he teased me. He pumped his hips against me, but he wouldn't push himself inside.

"Please, Gumball…" I begged, intertwining my fingers with his, pushing my backside against him.

Without a word, he pulled back slightly, and then slipped himself inside, pushing into me slowly, letting me feel every inch of his hot, pulsing length. I gasped in pleasure as I was reminded exactly of what his felt like. He wrapped his arms just under my breasts, holding me to him, as he pushed himself in and out, being gently with me, making love to me. He breathed a moan into my hair as he moved, our sounds mingling together. My whole body grew warmer and warmer as we moved together, him pacing himself inside of me.

Marshall crawled up to face me, laying beside me, watching me moan as Gumball pumped himself inside of me. With one hand, he gently cupped and stroked my breast, pinching my nipple tenderly a few times, before he trailed it down my belly and to my groin. Before he moved his fingers any lower, he gently pressed his lips to mine, taking in each sigh and moan I let out as Gumball stroked me inside. Then, Marshall trailed his fingers down to my slit, touching my lips there gently, and finally stopping at my clit, where he worked me, adding to the growing pleasure I was beginning to feel again.

Gumball picked up my thigh, hooking his arm under it, as he began to move his hips faster and thrust harder. Marshall kissed me deeper, and worked my clit quicker and less gently. My moans were growing louder now, Marshalls kiss unable to contain them anymore. I felt Gumballs pace quicken, his length beginning to slam into me now, his body sweating and his breathing getting heavier. He was starting to lose his rhythm as he thrust, using my thigh as leverage to get himself in deeper. I tried to muffle my screams, but it was no use. I was too far gone to care whether or not anyone heard us. I loved it. I loved the sound of his skin slapping mine. I loved the feeling of his rock hard member pummeling into me. I loved the wild precision of Marshalls fingers on my clit. I felt it again, the rising tides, the waves filling up my being. I broke my kiss with Marshall and grabbed a fistful of his hair, and just as the warmth began to spill over, I screamed into the nook in his neck. Gumball gripped my thigh harder as I bucked, holding me still, not letting me escape his relentless thrusting. With each stroke the waves grew heavier, the warmth grew hotter, and the ecstasy grew more delicious. Marshall took his fingers from my groin and wrapped them in my hair, pulling it down and forcing me to look at him as I came. I let go if his hair and dug my nails into his shoulder, sure I was going to pass out if Gumball didn't slow down. Finally, with one long, hard thrust, Gumball pulled out entirely, let go of me, rolled on his back, and spilled his lust all over his tummy.

I rolled right into Marshall, panting, sweating, gasping for breath. He simply let go of my hair, kissed my forehead and laid me down on my tummy. For a moment, I thought we were done. I thought that I couldn't possibly go through that again without my body just tearing itself apart in an attempt to hold in all that lust. Then, I felt the bed shift as Marshall slid off and stood up. He smiled fiendishly at me, then raised a finger and beckoned me to come to him.

I couldn't resist. Even with my wobbly legs and lack of sufficient air, I managed to get onto my hands and knees and crawl to him. He was standing at the edge of the bed, his member rock hard and ready for me. I wanted so bad to lick him, to suck him, to please him. I wrapped my lips around his tip, listening to him let out a soft groan, before he picked me up off the bed entirely, using my butt to hold me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist for support, but that was all I could do before he slammed himself into me. I screamed in surprise pleasure, my body still not recovered from the last flood of ecstasy, my nails digging into his back. I stuffed my face into his shoulder, biting him as he thrust himself hard and deep into me. He used my body to slide me up and down his shaft as he plunged into me, thrust after hard, deep-hitting thrust. Within minutes I could feel that build again.

In all our intense passion I almost didn't notice Gumball come up behind Marshall. He was kissing and biting the other shoulder, licking Marshalls neck as Marshall leaned his head back in pure bliss. I tried so hard to concentrate on biting and licking Marshall, too, but I couldn't. He was hitting those spots with such a hard and fast pace that it made my toes go numb. Then, Gumball shifted himself and put his face in front of mine. In a leap of faith, I crashed my lips into his, letting him take in all my screaming moans. He wrapped one arm around Marshalls' chest and used the other hand to hold my head against him as best he could. I felt Marshall beginning to lose his rhythm. His thrusts were wild and hard and sent loud screams through my lips. Quickly, he laid a kiss on Gumballs cheek before he broke our mold completely. He threw me onto the edge of the bed, keeping himself inside of me, and flipped me over, so that I was standing, but leaning over the edge of the bed. Without skipping a beat, he grabbed my hips and pounded himself into me, faster, harder than before. It was building again, that sweet, sweet warmth. I wouldn't be able to hold it back like this. With each thrust, it grew hotter, heavier, until finally, it spilled over for a third time, leaving me screaming and clawing at the sheets. I felt like I was drowning in my own sweet ecstasy, like I had never stopped from when Gumball brought me. Marshall kept the waves coming with each thrust, making my vision go blurry and my body get immensely hot. I writhed and bucked against him, my knees wanting to give out on me as he pounded into me even harder. Finally, when I thought I was about to have too much, he pulled out, and I felt his hot lust spill all over my back.

With the last bit of strength I had, I crawled back onto the bed, and laid there, completely limp, as the last of the waves crashed into me. Marshall fell onto the bed on his back on my right. Gumball fell onto the bed on his side on my left.

For a long while, we just laid there, catching our breaths, regaining our strength, and reveling in the hazy, misty passion that seemed to fill the room. It was enough for me, to just lay there and enjoy them. I had completely forgotten all that had happened throughout the day. Even the party guests.

"Best. Queen. Ever," Marshall said, his panting finally slowing down.

"Oh glob! Guys! We forgot the party guests!" I shouted, using my arms to lift myself up from the bed like a spring.

"Don't worry, Fionna. We ended the party an hour ago. Everyone's gone home or retired to their bedroom in the castle. It's just us, now," Gumball soothed, trailing a hand up and down my sweaty, sticky back.

I hung my head and smiled, letting my hair cover my face. "You two are pretty mathematical and planning a girls' wedding night."

"We try," Marshall sighed, acting very nonchalant.

I laid myself back down and cuddled into Gumball. My king. My _husband_. For a few moments I thought about the word, what it meant and how it would change things. Then, I decided, it wouldn't. He would always be my Gumball, and Marshall would always be my Marshall. And we would always be together, like this. No title would ever change that.


	8. Chapter 8: Strange

The months after the wedding were slow. Gumball did exactly what he promised, and kept most of the governing under his control. Every now and then I would need to meet some new kingdom delegate, or be present at a ball he threw, but for the most part, I got to keep being plain old Fionna, instead of Queen Fionna. I didn't even have to wear a silly crown, unless it was on special occasions. Despite all my fears of not having the time to adventure and kick butt, I found that there wasn't much butt to kick. Things seemed pretty peaceful, not only in the Candy Kingdom, but in all of Aaa. With the Ice Queen gone, there wasn't as much of a threat. Even so, monsters and stuff _should_ still be out there, right?

Even without much action going on, Cake and I spent a lot of time exploring stuff; caves, treasure coves, forgotten towers. That kind of thing. Since I had officially moved into the palace, I wanted to be sure I spent enough time with my sister. Cake moved in with Lord and TV, who apparently wanted to live with mom and dad, so the tree house became more of a meeting place or a fort or base or something. It was pretty rad to go there and just hang out.

One day, while Cake and I were on our way home from exploring an ancient cavern, we came across something weird in a field of golden wheat. The wheat, itself, was totally fine. What was strange was the tall, looming black tree that sprouted right in the center of it. The tree was huge, taller than all the other trees in the surrounding forests, and its trunk and bristles looked… _menacing_.

"Girl, my tail is freakin' out over this tree. It's giving me the heebie jeebies! Maybe we should go…" Cake said nervously. Her tail was literally the size of an average sized candy person, and usually, her tail wasn't wrong when it came to danger.

"We should check it out," I said, my eyes glued to the strange tree. I paced over to it, for some reason, unable to look away. There was something about it, an energy to it. As I got closer, I could have sworn that there were whispers coming out of it.

I touched the trunk gently. It felt… _cold_, but there was more than that. The actual tree felt like a normal tree, but the energy around it felt sick. I reached out to lay my whole hand on it, when Cakes paw smacked it away.

"This tree screams crazy, Fi. Let's get out of here. We'll find out who owns this field and ask them about it."

I nodded to her, still a little dazed by this weird tree, and walked away. As we made our way out of the field, I heard those whispers gently fade away into the distance. It all sent chills up my spine.

We found out that the person who owned the field was a farmer, and he already knew about the tree. He told us that it had been there for a few months, that it just sprouted up in his field out of nowhere, but that it didn't cause any hard to the crops or the surrounding animals. He also said that the birds and creatures that usually fed on the wheat didn't come around nearly as much because of it, so in reality, it was like a scarecrow for him.

The whole scenario creeped me out big time, but if the farmer didn't have a problem with it, then there was no problem to solve.

The tree wasn't the only strange thing we saw. While Gumball and I were out strolling through his garden, I noticed that the usual cute and colorful birds that nested in the trees or plucked at the fruit slowly started dissipating, and not in the yearly migration kind of way. As one colorful bird left, a big, black crow would appear there. It wouldn't eat the fruit or peck at bugs or anything. It would just sit there. And watch the other birds.

"Hey, Gumball, do you notice anything strange about the birds lately?" I asked, wondering in the back of my head if I was just being too critical because of how creepy that tree was.

He looked up at the crows that had gathered around his wall of shrubbery, a slight look of concern on his face. "You know, there do seem to be more crows around lately than usual, which is strange. Their migrational pattern and the migrational pattern of the other birds are totally different."

"So it's not usual for them to be here?" I asked him, looking up into his face as he stared off at the birds.

"No, it's quite unusual all together. Crows are not inclined to sweeter foods, and generally avoid the Candy Kingdom. One or two crows a year is to be expected, but there seem to be more than that." Gumball seemed to speculate over it for a while, his brain working hard to understand why they would be here. "But, I can't say that they're _bothering_ anyone. As a matter of fact, while they're here, the other birds seem too afraid to eat the fruits, and the crows certainly don't eat them. I suppose, at the very least, they're helping out the garden."

I knew I couldn't argue with him. What could I say? That they were creepy and he should get rid of them? He sounded just like the farmer with that black tree. Even though they both said there was nothing actually _wrong_ with the tree or the birds, there was still something about them, something lurking in the background of it all, that made me question if it was a coincidence or not.

As the weeks passed and the weather grew colder, I became increasingly bored. There were hardly any missions coming my way, and even queenly stuff was dwindling. I asked Gumball if it was always like this. He said that during the winter months the candy people didn't really have much to complain about, and no one wanted to travel to visit in the snow, so winters were usually quiet.

Marshall, Cake and I were practicing our combat skills in the ballroom one afternoon to curb our boredom. I was using throwing axes and stealthy daggers, Cake was honing her stretching powers, and Marshall was being our blocker. It was fun for a while, but even that got boring. Cake and I sat back to back on the floor, me drawing little doodles on the tile with my finger and Cake lightly humming.

Marshall floated above us, his head hanging down so that his hair just barely touched the ears on my bunny hat. "Hey Fi, you ever think about Finn? Like, how he's doing and stuff?" Marshall asked out of nowhere.

I looked up at him, thinking over his question for a moment. "I think about everyone from Ooo every now and then. When I was in the ether, I watched them work things out between each other, so now I catch myself wondering if they made it work like we did."

"Well I say we go visit them and see for ourselves," Cake interjected, going along the same line of thought as me. "It could be fun! There's not much going on here, anyway."

"That's a great idea, Cake! We've got those hairs. We can get there," I exclaimed, jumping up from the floor.

"Yeah, I'm down to go. Visit my sister from another mister," Marshall said casually, even though I knew he was just as excited as we were.

We all hurried to make the preparations, and Marshall and I went to ask Gumball if he wanted to go. He said he wanted to, but he couldn't leave the kingdom unattended, no matter how slow it was. Apparently, leaving your own dimension was a bad idea when you ruled a kingdom. He did open the safe for us, though, and handed us a strand of hair from each of the people from Ooo. Marshall and I gave Gumball quick kisses goodbye, met up with Cake, and headed to the entrance to the fire kingdom.

Just like when I watched on the crystal, all we had to do was bury the hairs in the dirt to prove that something didn't belong in this world, and out of the rock opened a portal, with Ooo, covered in snow, on the other side. I couldn't wait to go, so I jumped in first, Cake following close behind, and Marshall coming in after me.

I found that traveling through portals was not my cup of tea. I hated that no-air vacuum feeling I got whenever I traveled like this.

Ooo was just as frosty as Aaa, and everything still looked like an exact replica of our world. Cake and Marshall marveled at it for a good few minutes, touching things, smelling things, even licking things.

"Guys, come on, I told you it's exactly the same. It's just got different people." I tried to convince them to get going, but they still took their time.

After about an hour of them touching everything to make sure it was real, we were finally headed to the Candy Palace. As we walked, I noticed crows in the trees. The same ones that seemed to be littering Aaa. The animals that didn't hibernate or migrate acted slow and sluggish, melancholy, even. Something didn't feel right, but it was such a small feeling that it was easy to push to the back of my head.

We reached the palace in no time, Marshalls and Cakes eyes wide with wonderment. They still couldn't wrap their heads around a place that looked so much like home. Peppermint Butler was at the door, as usual, to greet us.

"Fionna! My word, I never expected you to come back! And who are these companions of yours? They look very, very familiar," Peppermint Butler asked curiously, studying Cakes face.

"Hey, Pep But! This is Cake and Marshall Lee. They're Aaa's version of Jake and Marceline. Is anyone home right now? We came to visit and see what everyone was up to." The three of them looked at each other questioningly, still not used to the thought of equal and opposite people existing.

"Y—yes. Right this way. I believe Queen Bubblegum is in the nursery." Peppermint Butler turned on his heel and headed down the west wing.

Wait. Nursery? Isn't a nursery for, like, babies and stuff?

As we walked, the sound of childish giggling, coupled with feminine swoons and masculine chuckles reverberated through the halls. Peppermint Butler stopped us at a set of white double doors with the word "nursery" spelled out across it. He opened the doors to a room full of colors and toys and sunlight and… baby stuff.

"Your majesties, you have a special guest! Fionna has come to visit you!" Peppermint Butler announced. We walked in after him, taking in the scenery before we even noticed anyone.

I felt a massive force crash into me and wrap me up into a huge bear hug, a bristling beard scratching lightly on my face. I laughed the moment the air returned to my lungs, and tried my best to hug him back too.

"Fionna! My glob! You're back!" Finn cried, hugging me tighter.

I tried to reply to him, but he was squeezing the air right out of me. "Finn, put her down. She probably can't breathe," I heard a soft, familiar voice say. Finn set me down, and I turned to see Bubblegum standing there, beautiful and glowing, with a baby with pink hair and pale skin in her arms and her stomach round and full.

"Bubblegum… are you—are you _pregnant_?" I asked in utter disbelief. Cake and Marshall gawked at her the same way as I did, trying to wrap their heads around it. Bubblegum dropped her gaze and blushed, smiling a little bit.

"I am! With our second child. This precious boy here is Prince Koda." She held the baby out to Finn, laying him gently in Finns arms, and came to give me an awkward hug, her ginormous belly in the way. "But I think the more pressing matter is the miracle that is you. How did you escape the ice? It was a hundred year curse!"

"It's a really, really long story. I'd love to tell you guys about it. Are you free to talk and—"

"I know that voice! Is that Fionna?!" a familiar, melodic and beyond excited voice spoke out.

"Marcy! Come look, it's Lady Finn!" Finn called out through the door. In floated Marceline, still as radiant as ever, her belly almost twice as big as Bubblegums.

"No way! Marcy, are you pregnant, too?" Cake asked in utter disbelief. I was too stunned to speak, and Marshall, well, he just didn't know what to think.

Marceline chuckled a little and landed between Bubblegum and Finn. "Yeap! With twins! Or so Doctor Princess says. With my huge size, though, I don't doubt her."

"Y—you're _both_ pregnant? Together? How… how…" I asked, trying to get the words out without sounding too bewildered.

"You look so surprised, Fionna. Don't worry about it, though. Nothing beats the look on Finn's face when we told him we were both pregnant," Bubblegum laughed. Marcy joined her, and I chuckled a little at the big, hulking, blushing dad. I could only imagine his face when he found out.

"We're both due the same week, actually," Marcy explained, leaning her arm on Finns shoulder and using the other arm to tickle the baby. The child grabbed Marcy's finger and waved her hand around, completely amused by her touch. "Finn here is a beast in the sack, so he managed to get us both knocked up around the same exact time."

"Marcy!" Finn turned his bright red face away, biting his lip.

"Marceline! Come on, sweetie, leave a _little_ mystery," Bubblegum scolded her, smiling.

Marceline just giggled and came to give me yet another awkward, belly-in-the-way hug. "Anyway, enough about us. Tell us about you, Fi! The last time we saw you, you were… um…"

"Frozen?" I offered, smiling at her. "I was just about to tell you guys my story, actually."

"Peppermint Butler, could you fetch the nanny for us while we sit in the tea room please?" Bubblegum kindly asked him. She seemed… different. Warmer, I guess. I summed it up to the fact that she was a mother now.

Peppermint Butler nodded and left the room, coming back a few minutes later with a lollypop lady who had a bottle in one hand and a blanket in the other. She wrapped the blanket around the baby in Finns arms and picked him up, holding the bottle up for him as he ate. Peppermint Butler then led us through the palace again, to the other side, where the tea room was. As we all walked—well, Bubblegum waddled and Marcy and Marshall floated—we chatted amongst ourselves a little. Marshall and Marceline talked about the Nightosphere and how similar Ooo was to Aaa. Cake talked to Bubblegum about parenting and giving her tips from our moms handbook, and Finn and I talked about how strange it was to be royalty now.

We sat down in the comfortable seats, Bubblegum and Marcy having to ease into their chairs with Finn's help, while Peppermint Butler served us all some hot tea and cocoa. I watched Finn, Marcy, and Bubblegum carefully. There wasn't an ounce of resentment or betrayal coming from any of them. They genuinely enjoyed being together. They loved each other. Just like Marshall, Gumball and I. Words couldn't really describe the feeling I felt when I saw them together, just being happy. It was like a total flip from how they were the last time I saw them, and it was a complete trip to see how similar things worked out. Then, for a brief moment, I wondered about pregnancy.

I stopped those thoughts short. Not for me. Not yet.

As everyone settled, I began to tell them my story. I told them about The Seeress, about watching my death, about seeing everything from that point on through the crystal, about the ether, and not really being dead or alive. Then, I told them about Billy and the Lich, and my plan for revenge.

"Wait wait wait wait wait, are you telling me that you're the _daughter_ of Billy? The Hero of Ooo? And the Lich killed your mom? How… how is that even possible?" Finn asked in total disbelief. How did Finn know about Billy? And the Lich?

"How did—" I tried.

"It _has_ been said that the Lich can exist in any universe for any amount of time, but he needs a portal to get there. Some scholars believe that he had a catalyst for these portals tucked away somewhere, but no one has any evidence to show for it," Bubblegum interrupted me, her mind going a million miles a minute.

"I guess that explains why you guys know the Lich, but what about Billy?" Marshall asked, just as curious as the rest of us.

"Well, I suppose it's possible that Billy, too, could exist in other universes…" Bubblegum speculated. "But that would mean that Billy had something to do with Finn's birth as well…"

Finn and I looked at each other in wonderment. I could tell that he and I were thinking the same thing: were we actually related?

I tried to push the thought away and change the subject. "It's just a lot to think about. I want to focus on taking out the Lich. The Seeress told me to return to her in three years' time, and I have a little more than a year left." Things went quiet for a moment as everyone began to think about everything I've said.

I broke the silence by asking about them; how they've been, what they've been up to, how things have been working out. We shared stories about the wedding, Finn told me all about his adventures and how he, too, hasn't seen much action lately, and they all went around and around about pregnancy and parenting.

We all talked like that for hours. We talked so much that the sun started to set, and Finn insisted that we stay the night in the castle. Cake was more than happy to stay. She wanted to play with the baby and talk some more with Marceline and Bubblegum about mom stuff. Marshall didn't care either way, and even though I missed Gumball, I decided a night couldn't hurt.

Marshall and I shared a bedroom that night, just the two of us. Even though he, Gumball and I all took time out to be with just one of us instead of two, it felt like I hadn't been truly _alone_ with Marshall in forever. We snuggled together, wrapped up in the warm sheets by the fire, until I fell asleep in his arms.


	9. Chapter 9: Signs

The next day, we stayed and chatted for a few hours with everyone. Jake came by with his wife, Lady Rainicorn, and introduced us all. He seemed to be the only one who could understand her, but he didn't mind translating. She seemed lovely, and very friendly. Cake, Marceline and Bubblegum went to the nursery to play with Prince Koda and talk more about babies. I never knew that Cake was so into being a mother. I mean, I knew she liked to mother people, but when there are actual babies around, she goes into mother hen mode.

Finn, Marshall and I walked around the palace, talking more about the Lich, as well as some changes that were happening. "No one else seems to notice, but things feel _weird_ here. Like, something electrifying the air. It's strange. I've been noticing things just pop up out of nowhere, too. The animals are changing, and these dark rocks and shrubs and trees just appear." Finn looked really concerned. This was the most serious I've probably ever seen him.

"That's happening in Aaa, too. All our birds are disappearing, and crows just show up and hang out around the palace. And there was this black, cold tree in the middle of a wheat field that had this chilling feel to it. But no one seems to mind, really. It's not hurting anyone, so they don't bother with it. It all just creeps me out." I gripped Marshalls hand tightly as we walked, the cloudy, snowy sky providing an ominous feeling.

"So you guys noticed, too?" Marshall added, listening carefully. "It's not just the nature stuff, though. _People_ have started to act strange. My old homies out by the cave are so… _slow_ now. They act like they're in a trance. It's subtle, though. If you didn't know them, you wouldn't notice. But the way they move, and the slow, stutter-y way they speak… it's creepy, man."

"You guys think it's something to worry about?" Finn asked, looking deeply at both of us, studying our faces.

"I'm not sure. But if it's starting to effect people, maybe we should investigate. Maybe it's a sign or something." As I spoke, a dark feeling started to fall over me.

"If it's a sign, it's a damn subtle one. I don't think we should cause a panic, though. Just keep an eye out for changes." Marshall made a lot of sense. We couldn't exactly _prove_ that something was happening, because of how subtle things were. We just had to keep watching out for these signs we kept seeing around the kingdom.

With the chilling feeling looming over us, we went back to the palace to gather up Cake and head back home. Everyone gave us a warm goodbye, and we practically had to pry Cake away from the Prince. She always said she wished her kittens didn't grow up so fast, so I understood why she was compensating with Finn and Bubblegum's baby.

On the walk back to the portal, Cake went on and on about me and Gumball and Marshall having babies so she could be an auntie. As if it wasn't uncomfortable enough for me, Marshall started to walk in stiff strides as she talked. Obviously, he didn't want to be a daddy just yet.

Gumball welcomed us back with open arms, asking us all about our time in Ooo. When Cake told him about the baby and the pregnancies, his cheeks filled up with a warm glow. Marshall quickly changed the subject to what the three of us were talking about in our walk around the palace.

"While you've been away, I _have_ noticed something strange with Peppermint Maid. She seems dazed, and she slurs and stutters her words slightly. It's not a huge difference, but it's enough for me to notice. I gave her the day off to feel better, though she insisted she was fine," Gumball explained, adding even more to our growing concern.

"First the tree, then the birds, now the people? What the math is happening?" I asked, my fear growing into frustration.

"We're not sure if it's all connected, baby. Maybe we should go out and survey the kingdom for more strange stuff, see if there's a link between it all," Cake soothed me, calming me down.

I took a deep breath and nodded, trying to not let this whole thing get to me. "We should go soon, then. If Peppermint Maid can change this quickly, then maybe some more stuff popped up while we were gone."

"Actually, there _was_ a complaint from a village just south of here. It was very… odd. I thought you might want to go and check it out when you got back," Gumball said, thinking hard on it. "The village elder said that their village had been invaded by monsters."

"Monsters! For how long? How many people did they hurt?" I asked, feeling far more excited than I should have been. Finally! Something to do!

"He said they've been there for a week. The thing is, they haven't hurt anyone. They're just sitting there, in a ring around a well. They haven't moved an inch since they got there. They're like statues, they just… sit." Gumball's expression told me that I officially knew as much as he did.

I felt my face twist into a mess of confusion, but shook my head to clear my thoughts away. "Well, Cake, are you ready for an adventure? At the very least, maybe we can see what those monsters are doing for ourselves."

"Heck yeah, sugar! I've been waitin' for this!" Cake exclaimed, twisting her arms around me and sprinting us out the door. Obviously, she was just as excited as I was.

As we traveled south, I kept a lookout for anything that might seem different or out of place. I watched the trees fly past us and noticed that one tree in every half-mile or so was as black as the tree from the field. And the animals… even though most of them acted normally, I saw a few that were just… strange. A deer kept walking into a tree, a squirrel kept picking up an acorn and setting it on the other side of him, and there were even a few fish that purposely swam to the shore of their pond to suffocate. What the hay was happening?

It didn't take us long to get there. The village was small, filled with tiny fluffy people, who lived in tiny rock or straw huts, with one regular-sized well smack in the middle of town. The fluffy people, for whatever reason, didn't build close to the well, which turned out to be a really good thing, because monsters twice and three times my size were all sitting around it, still as stone. I drew my sword and carefully inched toward them, trying not to make a sound. As I did, I watched their movements. There were none. Not a breath, not a blink, not a twinge of a muscle. They just… sat there. I inched up behind one and poked it lightly with my sword. Nothing. I poked it again, but this time harder. Nothing.

Then, out of sheer curiosity, I drew my sword all the way back, screamed in fury, and slashed the monsters back as hard as I could. The flesh ripped wide open, screaming with the hiss of steam coming from it, but no blood. No flinch. Still, no reaction. I hung my sword arm down to my side and watched the wound for a second. Slowly, a black mist leaked out of the beast, and as it covered the meat and flesh that I tore, the wound began to close itself up.

"What the math?" I whispered as I watched. "Cake," I called, turning my head slightly so I could keep my eyes on the monster. "Cake, did you see that? Did you see what just happened?"

"Sweet babies, I saw it! I wish I didn't, but I saw it!" she called back, making her way towards me.

"We have done just as you have done, your highness, and still, each of these creatures releases a black mist and heals the wounds," an old, ancient voice rang out from the other side of the monster ring. The village elder, or so I assumed, stepped out into view, his fluff sort of wilting, his back hunched over and a cane holding him up, his long beard dragging on the ground between his feet.

"Have you tried this on every monster?" I asked, going back to observing the monster I just cut.

"We have. We have even removed limbs, and still, they do not move. I am at a loss. They are causing no trouble to us, but the energy they give off is far too frightening to my people." An air of sadness clouded around him. I could only imagine how difficult it must be for him. These were his people, and they looked to him to keep them safe.

"Have you tried taking them away? Just moving them out of here?" Cake asked him, eyeing the one monster that looked light enough for the fluffy people to carry.

"Yes. That one you're looking at was removed by the strongest warriors of the village, but within hours, it found its' way back," he said, sounding defeated and bitter.

"What's the deal with the well?" I asked. I had to. I knew the focus was on the ring of monsters, but that well… there was something about it. It was like those whispers from the tree followed me here, and were ringing out from the well, but only I could hear it.

"That well was there from the old world, before the Mushroom Wards. My village established itself around it because the well proved to be clean and healthy to my people. It has never given us trouble, only strength."

From the old world? How did a well from the old world not only survive, but continue to function after the war? Hardly anything that wasn't magical functioned the right way after the war, or so I was told. Everything had to be reinvented. And the people… how have they lived this long on this land, being so close to an old world relic?

I sighed, feeling heavy with questions and not enough answers to make me feel light. "I'm sorry, Village Elder, but if they can't be killed or taken away, I'm afraid they'll have to stay here. I'll put in an order for the Banana Guards to come out and cage them up. Maybe if they're caged in, they won't come back to the well. Still, I'm worried about you and your people. Maybe they aren't the only monsters around that want to join this ring of creepy. I hereby grant you temporary land and housing near the Candy Palace, with protection, until we can solve this weirdness. Is there anything else I can give you?"

He looked at the ground, feeling even sadder than before. "I would very much like to stay in this village. For most of us, our entire lives have been spent within this area. It could be devastating to some of our people. But, you make a good point. Even if we can contain the creatures, there is no guarantee that other, possibly more vicious beasts will not appear. I only request that we receive some sort of help and transportation. Our small legs couldn't handle such a journey."

"Of course, the land I gave you is far from here, even for me. I'll give instructions to the Banana Guards to set up a litter for you and your people. You should be moved away from all this within the week," I offered, trying my best to comfort him.

He gave me a weak smile and said, "Thank you, your majesty. You are a kind and benevolent queen." In the best way he could, he bowed to me.

I blushed a little and twisted my toes into the dirt, not sure what to say.

Cake changed the subject to something far more important. "Village Elder, have you seen anything else strange around here lately? Anything out of place?"

He rose up from his bow and stroked is long, fuzzy beard for a moment. "The animals do not behave as they used to, and some of the bushes we used to gather berries from have been infected with a spiritual sickness that no medicine man or witch doctor can cure. It has been difficult finding appropriate food."

"A spiritual sickness? What does that mean?" I asked, totally absorbed in his story.

"It is a sickness that is not of this earth. It comes from elsewhere, a place that we cannot touch. In the old culture, it was believed that such a sickness was a sign from the heavens of bad things to come. We have not seen such a sickness in generations, and have lost the ability to protect ourselves from it." As he spoke, his voice began to wheeze, and he had to stop and take a deep breath. "I believe the monsters and the sickness are related somehow."

My mind was racing a million miles a minute. Monsters, sickness, protection, animals, trees, food, the well… What was I supposed to make of all of this? There was no doubt in my mind. Something was happening. Or, better yet, something was _coming_.

"Thank you for your time, village elder. Please, go get some rest. I'll put a rush order in for the Banana Guards, and make sure they get you to as soon as possible. We'll watch to see if anything around your village changes while you're gone." I bent down on one knee and reached out a finger to shake his hand. He nodded to me, shook my finger, and then rested it on his cane so he could lean on it heavily. He wheezed again, this time coughing a little, and turned to head back the way he came.

Cake and I left the village without a word, feeling down trodden and confused. On the way back, I let my mind flow with everything we just saw and learned. There was definitely a connection. But to what? And for what reason?

I sympathized with the village elder in more ways than one. I was a protector, a savior, a hero, but I was also a queen. I had responsibilities to thousands of people, to keep them safe… from everything. Even the things I couldn't wrap my head around just yet.

I had to sort this out, and soon. For the Candy Kingdom. For Aaa. For everyone.


	10. Chapter 10: Blizzard

As the next 15 months passed by and the seasons changed, the sickness the village elder spoke of began to spread. The forests were overcome with the black trees and shrubs, and almost all the animals either ran away or acted like they had poo brain. The people started to act like the animals, repeating the same task over and over, even if it hurt them. Some of the candy citizens we forced into guarded confinement, just so they would stop hurting themselves.

Sam and Simon often crossed worlds to examine the blackness that was eating away at our worlds. Bubblegum would come here every so often to assist in the research, but she felt as though she, Marcy and Finn should stay as close to the children as possible. When Bubblegum _did_ make it over to Aaa, Cake would go back to Ooo in her place and watch the babies. Marceline was not fond of leaving her twin boys behind for too long, and Finn would do anything to protect his sons and daughter. Cake understood that, and so she spent a lot of time in Ooo.

Gumball and I tried a quarantine, though that did no good whatsoever. Simon suggested it could be some sort of algae in the air, and it was affecting us through the oxygen, but after extensive research, no one could come up with solid evidence for it. Sam and Bubblegum tested water supplies and animal blood, but still, nothing.

Even the monsters continued to be affected, but in different ways. Everywhere, throughout all of Aaa, we were getting reports and complaints of monster rings showing up around old world architecture. Some had upwards of 30 beasts around them, while others, like the well, only had 6 or 7. Sam and Simon did extensive testing on the old world architecture, too, but they could only handle so much of it. The magic that owned them before still coursed through their veins, and being around old world items only caused them pain.

Marshall surveyed Aaa once a week, flying all over the place, documenting any changes or irregularities, while I would go and address the few villages and towns that still had some sanity left, promising them that we would find a way around it. Gumball kept in contact day in and day out with all the other kingdoms, sharing information, cataloging changes, exchanging samples. No matter what we all did, the sickness grew worse. It was beginning to swallow Aaa.

"I'm going," I announced firmly, throwing on my backpack and sheathing my sword.

"Fionna, you have another 2 months before you're supposed to go back. As desperate as we are, we can't lose you to the mountain witch," Gumball reasoned, sitting in his big red chair in the study, his body lurched forward and his hands gripping the arm rests in anxiety.

"I don't care! This is just so stupid! It's way out of control now! Gumball, more than half of Aaa has been affected by this… this _plague_. We can't just keep watching it build and grow like this. We can't keep _documenting_ it, or _researching_ it. It needs to be stopped! Children are asking me when their parents are going to get better! Parents are asking about if their child will live! Their food supplies from the forest are being swallowed by this blackness, and they look to me to save them! I'm their _queen_, Gumball, and already I'm failing them." I ranted and raved as I paced back and forth in front of him and his desk, waving my sword around like a lunatic.

"Fi, you're not failing them. Calm down," Marshall said, like a mother cooing her overreacting child. He was leaning up against the glowing fire place, keeping himself warm from the outside cold.

"Shut up, Marshall. I'm perfectly calm. I'm so calm, that I'm going to calmly walk out this door and march my calm ass up that mountain," I spat at him, turning on my heel and stomping my way to the door.

He caught my arm and turned me towards him, holding me tightly in front of him, his eyes burning holes into my face. "Stop! I know you're upset, but please, think this out a little. You won't do anyone any good if you just barge your way into The Seeress's home demanding an explanation and getting your heart crushed before you can finish your words. If she's as powerful and as picky as everyone, including you, says she is, then wait until she tells you to go."

I wriggled out of his grasp and took a step back, eyeing them both. "You think I don't _know_ that? You think that I'm just going to go in there expecting her to answer my every question? What do you take me for? An id—"

Gumball stood up abruptly, one fist clenched and laying on the desk, his head hanging down and his teeth barred. "Fionna, you know damn well that we don't think anything but the absolute highest of you. We know you're frustrated. We know you're angry. We know you want answers. But that does _not_ give you the right to talk to us the way you are. We are your partners and we are here to _help_ you, and reason with you, and keep you safe." His words slithered out tensely through his gritted teeth. The anger, the sheer _venom_ in his voice stopped me dead in my tracks. I had never seen Gumball so… so _angry_ before. Ever. I don't think I've ever actually seen him angry at all, except that one time in the caverns. This… this just wasn't like him.

I hung my head in shame, taking in deep breaths and calming myself down. "You're right. I'm sorry. I had no reason to speak to you guys like that. But that doesn't change my decision. You can either support it and come with me, or stay here and hope I don't get myself killed. Either way, I'm _going_ to get answers."

Marshall floated up to me and caught me in a huge hug, burying his face in my loose hair. "Fionna, I will follow you anywhere and protect you from anything. Just, please, give it some time."

I pushed him off of me and shot my eyes to the ground, not wanting to see the hurt in his face. "We don't _have_ time. We gave it all away, and now Aaa is suffering." They let the words sink in for a few moments, no one looking at each other as the air around us grew thick. "I'm going. Just… just know that I love you, both of you." I looked at them, Marshall holding his arm as he stared at the floor, Gumball leaning heavily on the desk, the frustration gone from his face.

They didn't say a word. They just looked away in shame, telling me all I needed to know about how they felt about my plan. I shook my head and headed out the doors, through the hall, and out of the palace, pulling my warm coat tightly around me. The snow and wind outside whistled and blew around me, blinding me and whipping my hair around.

Great. A blizzard. And a cold beginning to go with that cold end.

I trudged through the blinding snow for hours, wrapping the scarf Cake made for me tightly around my face to keep the cold from freezing my nose and lips. I was still angry about the two of them disagreeing with my plan, but I understood why. It was a desperate move for a desperate person. For the second time, I was seeking out The Seeress to save someone, and for the second time I left them behind because of it. But this time, I knew what I was doing.

It was no coincidence that she told me to return 2 year after I woke from the ice. This all happened so perfectly in sync that she _had_ to know about it. And if she wanted me back when all this crap was happening, it was because she had something for me. At least, that's what I hoped…

I tried to push those thoughts away as I began to climb the mountain. There were nothing but black trees around, and as fierce as the snow storm was, not one of those eerie black trees had a speck of snow on them. It was like they had some sort of force field around them to keep them from getting damaged. And the whispering… it was light, subtle, but it was enough to drive a weaker person mad if they listened too long. I couldn't understand the words, but they felt wrong. They felt like they were trying to pull at my heart. Wait, were they getting louder?

"Fionna!" a voice called out from the blizzard. I looked around, panicking, trying to find the voice. "Fionna!" another voice called, this time closer to me. The whispers began to fade.

"I'm over here! Where are you?" I cried, searching the sea of white that surrounded me. A figure started to appear in the snow on the horizon. I sprinted to it, unsure if they could see me, too.

"Fionna?" one of the voices called. As I got closer, I recognized the voice. It was Gumball! So the other voice… that must have been Marshall!

I didn't answer them. Instead I crashed into them and brought their cold, half-frozen bodies into a big hug. "You guys came!" I cried, overwhelmed with relief and gratitude.

"We couldn't let you go alone again," Gumball said, holding me closer.

"Yeah, and besides, your dumb butt left with only a few hours of daylight. How could us gentlemen let a lady go into the night without being escorts?" Marshall mused, smiling as best he could in the snow. I hadn't noticed before, but it _was_ darker than when I left. Did I really decide to make this trip at this time of day?

"Let's try to make camp. I brought with me an automatic tent that I designed myself. It's supposed to withstand even the deadliest of storms. Here, stand back," Gumball yelled to us, the wind picking up and making it hard for us to hear. Marshall and I took a few steps back, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny little capsule.

"Is _that_ supposed to be our shelter?" I asked Marshall skeptically.

He just smiled down at me and said, "Hey, don't knock it. That guy has saved my butt more than once with his crazy inventions."

With that, Gumball threw the capsule onto the ground, and not even a second later, a massive, warm looking tent appeared between us. We all rushed to get inside, zipping up the door quickly so that the snow didn't follow us in.

The tent was, well, amazing. It came equipped with two king-sized air mattresses in the two rooms jutting off the center of the tent, and a tiny little travel-sized stove smack in the middle, with luxurious blankets and pillows strewn about. And, it was _warm_.

"Gumball… how did… how did you _make_ this?" I asked in surprise, walking around and looking at all the wonderful amenities.

"Well, I certainly don't sit in my throne all day and mediate petty fights. In my free time, while you two are out doing your own things, I'm either baking or tinkering. This is where my tinkering got me." He smiled at us as we walked around the tent in wide-eyed wonderment.

"You're a genius, Bubba," Marshall said under his breath. I nodded at the statement in agreement, picking up one of the soft, warm blankets.

"Yes, well, we already knew that. Come on, let's get our clothes off and set them around the stove to dry. We'll just get sick if we sit here in cold, wet clothing." Gumball made a good point. We would be a sorry bunch of saps if we all caught colds on our way to The Seeress.

We all managed to get our clothes off, but with some difficulty. My boots and jeans were frozen together, Marshalls shirt froze to his neck, and Gumball wore too many layers to get them all off easily.

We were a mess, but I felt like we were a happy mess. A cold, wet, slightly frozen, happy mess. Well, happy for the time being, I suppose.


	11. Chapter 11: Distraction

I woke up to a sound I haven't heard in over a year: birds chirping. The sun was shining bright through the walls of the tent, and it warmed my face and body. I sat up, stretching and yawning, my eyes still not fully opened. When I reached down to feel for Marshall and Gumball, they weren't there.

Well that was strange.

Where could they have gone? I thought about it for a moment, decided they probably went to rustle up some breakfast, and shrugged the whole thing off. I threw my dried off t-shirt and jeans on, slipping my boots up my calves, and unzipped the door to the tent. It was beautiful! The sun was glinting off the grass and the flowers that surrounded me. It smelled like early spring, and there wasn't a hint of sickness or darkness in sight. It was such a glorious sight and—

Wait. Something wasn't right. I crawled out of the tent and stood up, looking around me. For miles there was nothing but beautiful trees and green grass and colorful flowers. The tent didn't move during the night, or else I would have woken up. And the darkness didn't cure itself… did it?

My attention was taken by a large figure walking towards me on the horizon. My heart fluttered, though I didn't know why. I made my way towards it, trying to make out the shape as I went. It was… human, I think, or something very much like a human. It was over six feet tall, and had long hair that fluttered in the cool morning breeze.

"Fionna!" a deep voice called out. It sounded so familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it. "Fionna!" the voice called again as I walked faster towards it. It sounded male, and like a very strong male, at that.

As we grew closer and closer, I was able to make out features better. No shirt, white hair, pale skin, different kinds of rings and jewelry… wait… no way. There was no way. Was that… was that Billy?

"Fionna!" he called, this time extending his arms to me. I could see him perfectly. It _was_ Billy, standing there, only a few dozen feet away from me.

"Billy?" I cried in disbelief. Tears began to well in my eyes as my heart jumped and pounded in excitement. "D—dad?"

"Fionna, come here! Come to me!" he called out, a smile on his face.

I sprinted for him. I was so overcome with the thought of being held by my father that I ran as fast as my legs could take me. But the air changed. The sky seemed to get a little darker, and were the trees leaning like that before?

"Fionna, my daughter!" he called out again. The tears were streaming down my face, and a smile took over my mouth.

But the air tasted weird. And where did the flowers go? And the grass… was it always wilting like this?

"Dad!" I called out to him, my arms as open as his. I wanted to go to him so badly…

But… where did the sun go? And why were the trees black as night? Why were they leaning over me like that, watching me, leading me? What was going on?

"Fionna…" Billy said, softer this time. His voice… it was changing. Was he… _growling_ at me? "Come to me, girl."

No. No, something wasn't right. My legs! Why wouldn't they stop moving! No, I didn't want to keep going!

"Fioooonnnaaaaaa..." Billy's voice was totally gone. I didn't know whose voice that was, but it wasn't his. And my body wouldn't stop running towards him. I was getting so close now…

His arms dropped to his sides, and he cocked his head slightly, giving me the most evil grin I had ever seen. Just then, a decaying, decrepit arm sprung from Billy's chest, the sound of his bones cracking and his skin shredding making me feel sick and terrified. The hand reached for me, and my body kept running towards it. A cracking noise filled the air, and out of Billy's skull rose a crown of horns, and under it, the face of the Lich.

He tore Billy's body off of him, cackling in such a horrific way. I was so close to him, so close I could smell the rotting flesh on his bones.

"Fioooonnnaaaa…"

His hand lurched right at me and gripped my throat before I could scream.

I sat up bolt right in the bed, screaming and panting and wailing and sweating. What the math just happened? What the hay _was_ that? I couldn't wrap my head around it, and the face of the Lich and his smell and the way he smiled and said my name… they all swirled around in my head, haunting me. I grabbed at my hair and took big, gulping breaths.

Marshall and Gumball sat straight up with me, one on either side, worry and terror and sleep twisting their faces. "Fionna! Fionna, it's okay! It was just a dream!" Marshall tried, rubbing calming circles on my bare back with his hand.

"Shh shhh, there there, Fionna. You're alright. It's okay, it's over now." Gumball held me close to him, the sweet scent coming from his chest helping me to calm down and differentiate between the dream and reality.

I was crying like a blubbering baby, getting out bits and phrases between sobs and gasps. "It felt—so real…"

The two of them soothed and calmed me, Gumball rocking me and Marshall stroking my back and hair. "Tell us what happened, Fionna," Marshall pushed gently after the worst of my freak out passed.

"I was… I was in the tent, but you guys weren't there. And I went outside, but everything was beautiful and fresh, and the sun was shining and there were flowers and the trees weren't black. And then Billy was there, calling to me. I ran to him, but as I ran, everything changed. The sun went away and the flowers and grass died, and the trees turned black again and started leaning over me. Then his voice changed, and it was so terrifying, and I didn't want to run to him anymore, but my legs wouldn't stop going. And then the Lich tore Billy open from the inside, and his _smile_, and his _stench_… he grabbed me by the throat, and I woke up." I heaved and sniffled as I spoke, trying hard to just say it without reliving it. Gumball held me tighter, stroking my hair and kissing my head, as Marshall laid small, comforting kisses down my back.

"It was just a dream Fionna. You're all right now." Gumball kept rocking me as he spoke. It made me think for a moment about how Marshall used to comfort him when he was a boy and was terrified of the lightening. Maybe this is how Marshall taught Gumball to comfort someone. I liked it. I felt safe.

"I know, but there was _something_ about it. It was so vivid. It was like… like it was reminding me of my purpose for this trip. Like it was telling me what I needed to remember; that the Lich killed Billy." I sat up straight between them, my hair covering my bare breasts as it slid over my shoulders.

Marshall tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and cocked his head to look at my lowered eyes. "Are you going to be okay, Fi?" he asked me, genuinely concerned.

I rubbed my arms and thought it over for a moment. "I… I don't know. I feel like there's something missing, something right in front of me that I can't see. And that _dream_… I feel like it meant something important."

Marshall pulled me in close to him and laid us down together, stroking my hair, like Gumball did, and laying small kisses on my forehead. "It's alright, Fi. Let's worry about this in the morning," he breathed lazily, not quite a tired sound, but not quite awake, either.

Gumball snuggled in behind me, and I was reminded that we all stripped down to our birthday suits before bed. He laid an arm around my belly, making small designs on my tummy and chest and side, planting small, slightly-more-than-comforting kisses on my shoulder and neck. I didn't care. The touch was soothing, and welcoming. It made me feel better, and distracted me from the image of the Lich's face in my mind. I let out something between a sigh and a moan of contentment as his soft, warm lips covered my neck and shoulder with kisses.

Marshall turned on his side to face me, running his hand up and down my hip and thigh, his dark red eyes connecting with mine, watching my face as I felt his touch. With each stroke of their fingers and hands, the images of my dream slowly melted away, and my lips curled into a small, content smile. Gumball trailed his fingers up to my breast, first lightly trickling his fingertips around it, then gripping it gently in his palm, massaging it, kneading it. I closed my eyes and let the sensation of his touch engulf me, feeling his body pressing itself against my back and his manhood grow harder as he touched me. Then I felt Marshall slide his hand down my hip to my ass, grasping my cheek for a moment and pulling himself towards me, before letting go of me and running his hand gently against my back and Gumball's length. Gumball moaned quietly into my neck, nibbling and licking those spots that I loved, and Marshall began to rock his hips in that familiar motion, grazing me with his rock hard member.

I trailed my fingers lightly up and down Marshall, teasing him, arousing him, and as I did, he would grasp Gumball harder, making Gumball moan into my neck or bite down into my flesh. Marshall molded his lips to mine, his cool kiss just adding to the warmth I was beginning to feel. I wrapped my fingers gently around him, stroking him tenderly, though his kiss begged me for more. Even in the dead of night, he always wanted intensity and passion. He pulled away from our kiss and lifted himself up onto his elbow, leaning over me to kiss Gumball. From the sounds Gumball made, I could only assume Marshall was stroking him hard and fast. I think he was challenging me, so I gripped him harder, moving my hand up and down his length with speed and intensity, stroking him like I was trying to make him come. It was working, judging by his short, gasping moans against Gumballs mouth. Gumball kept whispering his name in between passionate kisses, and Marshall kept whimpering mine.

"Tell me what you want, Marshall…" I whispered into his neck, leaving a trail with my tongue from his collar bone to his ear. He challenged me, and I wasn't going to let him win.

"Glob—Fionna!" Marshall hissed as I stroked him harder and faster. "I want—ngh—I—" He didn't get to finish. I pushed him down and away from Gumball, forcing both of them onto their backs, and grabbed their members in each hand, keeping the pace I had before. They both writhed for me, Gumball biting his lip and Marshall holding back his moans. To push him even further, I leaned down towards Gumball, making sure Marshall was watching me, and gently glided my tongue from Gumballs base to his tip, where I wrapped my lips tenderly around him. I let go of Marshall completely and focused on Gumball, using both hands to stroke him in rhythm with my mouth. I felt like I was finally getting payback for all the times Gumball was dangled in front of my face, all the times Marshall teased me with their bodies. Now it was his turn to sit back and watch me please Gumball. I shot a glance at Marshall for a quick second, just to see his sexual frustration build, and then focused my eyes on Gumball, who was watching me glide my lips and tongue up and down his shaft, full well knowing what I was doing. So, he joined in.

"Wow, Marshall… she's _so_ good at this… aahh—it feels amazing!" Gumball threw his arms behind his head, as if he was getting the royal treatment in some crazy, smutty book. I smiled around his length and sucked him a little harder, bringing out small moans from his lips. Then, I turned my eyes to Marshall, who was watching with so much anticipation that I thought he was going to explode.

Just for dramatic effect, I moaned around Gumball's shaft as I slid him deep inside my mouth. I think that was Marshall's breaking point. He pulled himself close to us, got up on his knees, and grabbed a handful of Gumball's pink hair, forcing his lips around Marshall's shaft with a fierce need on his face. Gumball raised himself up on his elbow to better accommodate Marshall's demands, and without hesitation, sucked and licked the vampire with intensity, the way he liked. Great, now Gumball was challenging me, too. Fine, if they wanted to play that way, they would see what they were up against.

I gave Gumball one last good suck, getting as much of him in my mouth as I could before he poked the back of my throat, and crawled up his body. I straddled his waist, smiled down at his curious gaze as he massaged Marshall with his lips, and slid his member inside of me. Gumball had to let go for a moment to let the moan out, but decided that he wouldn't be outdone. He started sucking Marshall faster and harder as I rode him at the same pace, rocking my hips back and forth as I slid up and down his shaft. Sighs and moans were escaping my lips, but I tried to hold them back. I just rode him, hard and fast, feeling his member grow even harder and warmer inside of me. Marshall grabbed a handful of my hair and forced me into a kiss with him, impressed by my determination and enticed to have some of me. With his other hand still entangled in Gumballs hair, he held Gumball to him as he pumped his hips, forcing himself in and out of Gumball's mouth. We all moaned into and against each other, becoming wrapped up in the sensations and feelings, slowly forgetting about the competition. We just wanted each other.

Marshall let go of both of us, his need finally reaching its limit, and came up behind me. He ran his hands up and down my sweaty body, cupping my breasts and massaging them as I rocked myself on top of Gumball. He pressed his body against my back, pushing me down against Gumballs chest, and, in one quick motion, he sunk his fangs into my shoulder and pressed his still-wet member against my other hole, slowly, carefully pushing himself in. I screamed out in the crazy combination of pain and pleasure, wanting it more but being hindered by the pain. Gumball started to thrust into me, picking up where I left off, as Marshall pumped into me gently and slowly. So much! There was so much to feel! The pain gradually melted away as Marshall moved his hips a little faster, until the point where there was no pain, just pure, intense pleasure. Even the feeling of his fangs in my flesh was getting me hotter. Both of them pounded into me as fast as they could, like they just couldn't get enough of me, and honestly, I couldn't get enough of them. I molded myself completely to Gumballs chest, taking a handful of his hair into one hand and using the other to claw on his arm as the pleasure shot through me. Marshall released my shoulder, and I could hear them panting and moaning, but it was blotted out by the sounds of my screams and me calling out their names. Gumball wrapped his arms around my lower back, holding me down onto him for leverage as he pounded into me, and Marshall dug his fingers into my hips so that he could pull me into him with every thrust, bringing him deeper and deeper with each hit.

It was all so much, and it felt so _good_. With each stroke of their hips, I felt that warmth build up inside of me. It was growing heavier and heavier, filling up my body with anticipation. They both slammed into me over and over, until finally, that warmth reached its limit, and it flooded over me in hot, amazing ecstasy. I screamed my pleasure into Gumballs neck, clutching at him as the waves crashed through me, making me writhe and twitch between them.

They both slowed their pace so I could fully feel the climax, my body beyond hot and totally limp by the end of it. Just when I thought it was over, Marshall thrust into me again, harder, faster, deeper than before. Gumball took his cue, and continued pounding into me from beneath. My voice rasped with screams, the warmth quickly building itself back up. Without warning, Marshall quickly pulled out of me and used his strength to flip Gumball and I over, leaving Gumball on top of me. I was still dazed and limp from before, but I knew what he was doing.

Marshall moved himself behind Gumball and thrust himself inside. I felt the penetration from under Gumball as he cried out in pleasure. With each thrust from Marshall, Gumball thrust into me, like some kind of unbelievably sexy domino effect. I wrapped my arms around Gumballs head and held him close to me, moving my hips under him to the fast paced and intense rhythm Marshall had set. Gumball moaned into my neck, trying to catch his breath, as Marshall pounded into him and I bucked my hips beneath him. That pleasure was growing faster and faster, like Marshalls rhythm, and I could tell that he wasn't going to be able to hold himself in much longer. With one last thrust from Marshall, Gumball screamed and came deep inside of me, making me overflow again, digging my nails into him and screaming with him, my body going fuzzy and warm with that liquid lust almost drowning me. That last thrust sent Marshall over the edge, too, and he spilled himself into Gumball, falling onto Gumballs back as he finished.

I couldn't believe it. We all managed to come together! That was the first time I think that's ever happened. I smiled wide with my eyes shut, my body being slightly crushed beneath the two full grown, totally limp men. "Guys…" I panted, swallowing whatever air I could get. "Guys, I can't… breathe…"

Marshall chuckled and pulled himself off of Gumball, taking Gumball with him and spooning him on the mattress. Gumball lazily wrapped his arm around me, bidding me to come closer to him. With the last of my strength, I rolled over to him and nuzzled my face into his chest.

The hazy mist of our lust was almost suffocating in the tent, but as it faded and we all caught our breaths, the sleep that we so desperately needed started to fall over us. I thought about how truly amazing the two of them were. After all, they managed to get me to completely forget about my dream.

I listened to the howl of the wind and snow from outside and the soft snores coming from Marshall and Gumball. Then, I fell into a dreamless sleep, happy for the peace it brought me, with a content smile on my face.


	12. Chapter 12: Friend

When we woke in the morning, the blizzard had calmed down immensely from the night before. The tent was half-buried in the snow, but with the portable stove in the center of it, heating the whole thing up, the snow melted soon enough. Our clothes were all dry and ready to go, so we got dressed and unzipped the door. I stayed in the tent for a few minutes after Marshall and Gumball had gone through, hesitating, remembering my dream. What if I stepped outside and the world was healthy and pretty? What if my whole dream came true? What if—

"Hey, Fi, come on, we need to set the tent back to capsule form or something. You need to come out," Marshall called, bending down to poke his head through the door.

"I—I know… it's just…" I stuttered, looking down in shame and fear.

"Everything's fine, Fionna. It's still as snowy and creepy out here as it was yesterday. It was just a dream," I heard Gumballs voice say through the tent walls.

I gulped, took a deep breath, and stepped outside of the tent. They were right. Nothing had changed. For a moment I felt a huge wave of relief, but then reality set back in, and I was reminded that my kingdom was suffering because of this blackness.

"We can turn back, Fi. You don't have to do this." Marshall stood with his arms crossed in front of me, eyeing me carefully.

I sighed and kicked the snow at my feet. "I can't. I _need_ to do this. After that dream last night, I know now more than ever that I need to see her. She has the answers I need. She knew this would happen, Marshall. She didn't tell me to come back in two years just for the heck of it. She's expecting me."

Marshall ducked his head and looked at the snow for a moment, thinking. "Fine. But we're going, too. The _whole_ way. You're not dipping out on us like you did Cake and Lord."

I let out a loud mix of a groan and a sigh, frustrated, but grateful for the help. "Thanks, Marshall. But please, keep your mouth shut when we see her. You say stupid things sometimes." I smiled at him, letting him know that even though I was serious, I was joking a little too. Gumball burst into a loud laughter from behind the tent just before it folded in on itself and molded back into capsule form.

"Marshy, she's right," Gumball giggled, catching his breath. "You do say some pretty stupid things."

Marshall growled and kicked the snow, turning around and trudging through it, his hands stuffed in his coat pockets. "Whatever, you guys are just too stupid to see my genius. Let's get going."

Gumball came up to me and I hooked my arm in his, the two of us giggling behind the begrudged Marshall as he stormed up the mountain.

* * *

The walk through the snow made it one hundred times harder to get there, and it took us longer, too. Marshall normally would have flown us up, but when he was flying himself and Gumball after me last night, he noticed that the air was too thick up high. He said it felt like he was breathing in gunk. It could have been the huge, dark snow clouds that covered the sky, but even so, I wasn't going to risk it.

As we got farther up the mountain, the trees that were supposed to be thinning and sparse were as big and black and plentiful as they were at the base of the mountain. The higher we climbed, the more uneasy I felt. I ran over every little detail I could think of from the last 3 years in my mind. Billy, the Lich, my mother, revenge, the sickness, the well, The Seeress, the trees, the animals, how quickly it all spread. Something in me told me that there was more to this than I could see. More than anything, I wanted revenge for the death of my father. I thought that he, as well as I, deserved that much. But to think that The Seeress, the girl who sees and knows _everything_, had me come back during this time, while all this was happening, so she could help me… there was no way it could be coincidence. There was something missing there, I could feel it.

An anxiety grew in my heart with every step. I felt something coming, something major on its way. Cake was usually the one who could sense those things, but she's been in Ooo with the royal children, so not even she could tell me what the feeling was. I tried to swallow down my heavy heart as we neared the crater in the mountain. I had no time to feel off, no time to worry about what hasn't happened yet. I needed to focus on the now.

We finally reached the top of the crater, the smoke and flames of her fire emitting a strange, blue-ish glow this time, her mirrors reflecting the light of the embers intensely. She stood there in front of one of the mirrors completely still, a hooded cloak covering her back and head, making it impossible for me to see if she had her bandages on.

"She knows we're here. How are you feeling?" I whispered behind me, glancing back to see their thumbs up. I nodded in approval to them, then slid my way down the wall of the crater, more graceful this time than last. Marshall floated down, carrying the clumsier Gumball.

"Be not afraid of my darkened trade. I will not harm her lovers brigade. Come closer, please, and feel at ease in my home of fire and mirrors and trees." Her small voice echoed slightly off the walls of the crater, sending a wave of fear through Marshall and Gumball.

I walked towards her with ease, like she asked, stopping just behind her. "Seeress, I'm sorry I'm early, but—"

"Answers she needs, so she's come to plead, and did so earlier than we agreed." I hung my head, almost feeling bad for this decision, but knowing I did the right thing. "Her lands are dying, though she is trying to keep them alive and well and thriving. No answers, no sum, can explain what's been done, for they are a prelude of what is to come." Her voice was heavy as she spoke, like she had been dreading this for a while.

"W—what's coming?" Gumball asked, frightened. He cowered behind me, Marshall standing there with him, their eyes locked on her small, childish frame.

She stood silent for a moment, staring off into another realm. Then, she turned to us, her white eyes wide open, seeing all that we couldn't, her round, childish face pale with the cold, and small, thin trails of tears rolling down her cheeks. I gasped at her tears, because never in my life would I expect to see her feel _emotion_. I tried to swallow down my surprise and wait for her reply.

"There once was a man, so simple and bland, who lived long ago in a similar land. A war struck his home and took all he owned, all that he treasured, all that he'd sewn. With one final blast, the man thought 'At last! I can rest in a grave, and my death will come fast!'"

A war? A similar land? A blast? Was she talking about the Mushroom Wars?

"A poor man was he as the blast hit his street, and though death was expected, power was to greet. Every adult and child for thousands of miles had all but perished in a war so vile. Yet there he stood, the only one who could, in the midst of the destruction of both evil and good. Such _power_ he had, this shell of a man, but it was useless in a world gone empty and mad."

It _was_ the Mushroom Wars she was talking about! And this man… who was he? His story sounded so… familiar. Marshall, Gumball and I listened intently to the little girl tell the story, not knowing what else to do.

"Life slowly grew from the world he once knew as the man lost himself in the power that consumed. Hunger and greed became his new creed as he left his misery and hatred to breed. With death and with blood, the evil could bud and blossom into such a dangerous drug. Yet still he was weak, for his heart would not wreak the pure destruction that the man did seek. 'I'll get rid of it' he said as he evil thoughts spread, wanting to feel as cold as the dead. He conjured a dagger made of dark matter, but before he could plunge it he had to stagger. A vision he saw which left him in awe. One day he'd be trapped in a world that's not Aaa. Two options there were for him to deter the fate that awaited him in his future. To keep his heart, straight from the start, or make a way to bend worlds apart. He found a well where magic swelled, and called forth power from where it dwelled. He would not be undone by anything or anyone, and so created a thing to hold his heart and his vision. Creation was strange, so out of his range, yet what he brought forth would help him change."

She lowered her eyes, no longer searching other dimensions, but instead, focusing on ours. Her voice went lower again. It was hard for her to say this. "A girl sprung forth in a childish form, with eyes that saw all and who kept his heart warm. Though she exists to watch with her gifts, she only survives to protect the Lich."

My jaw dropped and my eyes went wide. I wasn't sure what to do or say, or even think. She was created… by the Lich?

"S—so why have you been helping me all this time?" I stuttered, unable to wrap my head around everything she just said.

She looked up and pulled the hood off her hair, exposing the black mist that was slowly consuming it, consuming _her_. "A prophecy foretold of a day dark and cold when the king would return to consume the dying world. Though there are two ways this story can play; I can destroy her, or help her this day."

"Wait, he's coming? Today?!" My thoughts raced in my head, making me dizzy and anxious and nearly insane.

The Seeress nodded her head. "He weakens the earth, consumes all its worth, to prepare the land for its darkened rebirth. This is a taste of all to be faced when he comes to this land to take his rightful place."

I stood there, stunned. That was it. That was the missing piece I couldn't see. Everything was connected; the darkness, the timing, my revenge… and she knew this. She knew it the whole time. She sat up here in her mountain and watched through the years as the prophecy played out; Billy having a daughter, that daughter growing up not knowing her parents, the battle of Billy and the Lich… Billy's death… the Lich being trapped in another dimension, him slowly poisoning Aaa to make his return, and this. She saw it all. It was what she was meant for, what she was created for. She was the link between worlds… his only hope of coming here.

She was his creation. His tool. His living, breathing, weeping, lonely tool. She had a heart, even though it was his. She felt things, I was sure of it. Her voice when she spoke of her creation… she didn't use a tone of coldness or indifference. She felt _sad_ when she talked about it.

I knew I should have felt angry, or volatile, or fear… but I didn't. I felt sorrow. For her. She was just a kid who was convinced that, since she was created for a purpose, she had to exist in seclusion and watch as everything passed her by. Until today.

"You were lonely. That's why you kept my spirit with you when I was trapped in the ice. You wanted company." I looked at her round, childish face, taking a step towards her as I spoke. She simply stared in my direction, neither acknowledging nor denying my statement. "You wanted a friend…" I took another step towards her, and then another, until finally, I was standing right in front of her. Still, she didn't speak or move. She just listened and waited. I leaned down and wrapped my arms around her, embracing her in a hug, pulling her small body close to mine. "I will _always_ be your friend."

Her body was stiff, but warm, despite the blackness that was slowly consuming it. I felt her heart racing against my chest. Did I… surprise her? Slowly, hesitantly, she raised her arms and wrapped them around me. I felt my face grow wet as her tears streamed down, and she began to sob against me, gripping me hard, holding me close. I fell to my knees, getting down to her height, holding her, letting her cry into my shoulder and fill her fists with my jacket.

I don't know how long we stood there, how long she held onto me for. I didn't care. There were so many things I could be doing in that moment, but nothing mattered more to me at that point than that little girl being comforted. She was The Seeress, the viewer of worlds and holder of gateways. She was more powerful than almost any being I've ever met. But still, despite all of the power she held, she was still a child… a child who needed a friend.


	13. Chapter 13: Grimoire Dagger

When she finally settled down, and the tears weren't flowing anymore, I stood up and held her by her shoulders in front of me so that I could look into her small, tear-stained face. She looked… different. It wasn't just the black mist that was gradually fading from her, or the small smile on her lips. It was like her entire being had shifted. She seemed… lighter, more child-like.

I gave her a warm smile, not knowing if she was actually seeing it or looking into a different dimension, but I smiled all the same. I stole a glance at Marshall and Gumball, who were standing a few feet away, holding hands, the terror completely gone from their faces. Marshall looked ready to fight, and Gumball was wiping the tears away. Their faces reminded me, once again, of why I really came here.

"Seeress, I—"

"She means to end the portal bend, to keep the Lich from his ascend. It can't be done, the Lich has won, and will arrive before the day's done," she interrupted, already knowing what I was going to say.

"Can't you close the portal? Can't you stop him? You're The Seeress! You _need_ to do something!" Marshall cried, his fists clenched in fear and anger.

She turned her head to Marshall, her face stone still as she spoke. "Patience he needs, dear vampire king. The portal is open and cannot be breached. Come, the Lich will, with power and skill, but that does not mean he cannot be killed."

The Seeress tilted her head down, her eyes never moving, and took three steps back. We all watched her intently, unsure of what she was doing or what she meant. I knew her well enough to know that, to her, even the most subtle of motion or speech could reveal a ton of information. She struck her hand into the air, her cloak sliding off her arm to reveal the darkness swirling around her pale, bare skin. Electricity crackled and sparked between her fingers, first invisible, but becoming strong enough for us to see it evolve into what seemed like hand-held lightening. The wind thrashed and swirled around us, growing more intense as the electricity in her hand became more and more visible. As entranced as I was with her hand, I still managed to notice her pale lips moving ever so slightly with words I couldn't hear. Marshall pushed me behind him, preparing for a fight, and Gumball stood behind me. As the girl mumbled her words, in her hand the electricity took shape and mingled with the blackness around her arm.

"Fionna! What's happening to her? What's she doing?" Gumball yelled into the swirling wind around us, clutching onto my shoulders.

I wanted to answer him, to tell him I didn't know, but I couldn't speak. My eyes were glued to the small girl and the thing forming in her hand. The shape it took was small, and weapon-like. It looked like… like a dagger.

The last of the mist and electricity swirled and hardened into a medium-sized dagger, about a foot long, and shaped in such a way that I had never seen before. It looked exotic, with its sheer black blade and hilt, and blue streams of what looked like electricity flowing through it. The dagger looked… powerful. Something about it made me want to turn away from it, but I couldn't.

She wrapped her fingers around the dagger, two on the hilt and two on the blade, and lowered her arm from the air, holding it out in front of her. With her other hand she ran her fingers up along the blade. "He conjured a dagger made of dark matter, but before he could plunge it he had to stagger…" she repeated, gazing off into space as she touched the terrifying weapon. "The dark weapon's named from the magic it came; the Grimoire Dagger, once the Lich's shame."

"_That_? That's the dagger he conjured?" Marshall asked in disbelief. Gently, I pushed him out of the way so I could step in front of him to look at it. His body tried to protest, but I shot him a look that demanded he move.

"The dagger is plain as a sword or a chain, for it has lain dormant and waiting in vain. Its purpose is clear, to eliminate fear, but only one's flesh will it actually shear."

"The Lich…" I said, my thoughts slipping through my lips. She nodded at me, but her face looked pained.

"Then what are we supposed to do with it? Stab the Lich? The guy doesn't strike me as a man who'll go down because we poked him with a pretty dagger," Marshall interjected, his arms crossed against his chest.

"A catalyst it needs for the power to breed, a specific item which keeps the powers seed." Her eyes grew wet and her still, emotionless mouth slowly curled downwards, into a sad frown.

"W—what does it need to activate?" I asked carefully, taking a step towards her. As I did, she took another step back. It stopped me in my tracks. She didn't want to be touched.

She gripped the dagger in both hands and held it to her chest, hanging her head, letting her long, long hair hide her face. "For so long I've waited for my purpose to be sated, to be freed from this prison, to no longer feel jaded. Years have gone by, and many have tried to take hold of my power, but had quickly died. I grew tired and cold to the worlds that I hold, to the people whose lives could be bought and sold. I waited for him, my creator of sin, so that one day I, too, could have some kind of kin. Yet he never came, but it was all the same. The Seeress was my purpose, as well as my name. So I sat and I watched as his evil was botched, and waited for this day when the portal would unlock…"

I saw the tears drip down her face as she clutched the dagger harder. Again, I tried to step closer to her, holding my hand out to comfort her, but again she stepped away, turning her head to try to hide better. "Seeress…" I tried, wanting so bad to go to her, to comfort her. The Lich… he was like her father. That's how she saw him, that's how she wanted him to be. What a monster, to create a child as a weapon and leave her to turn to stone in loneliness.

"But I didn't see the presence of she, the influence her heart would leave on me. Now I want to stay, to live another day, and for that I give her my eternal thanks." She cocked her head, her white eye poking out from her hair just enough for me to see the tears. She smiled at me, a sad, grateful smile.

"Seeress, I don't understand! Why are you so sad? What can I do to help you? Please, tell me!" There was a growing feeling in my heart, a tightening of my chest. My heart pounded and my blood rushed. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.

She looked down again, taking a deep breath before raising her head with pride, her demeanor totally changed. "She has no time to watch me cry. For that I truly apologize. Six hours from now is when he will plow through the portal I opened for him as I vowed."

"Six hours? That's all we have? Fionna, we need to get back to the kingdom and evacuate everyone we can. This will be no place for anyone when he comes." Gumball made a lot of sense, but I couldn't wrap my head around it yet. Again, there was a feeling of a missing piece right in front of my eyes, something I couldn't see. The omission, the anxiety, the feeling of something being wrong… it soaked up all my attention. Not even my revenge could break me away from it.

"Seeress, what's the catalyst for the Grimoire Dagger?" I asked, hard in my convictions.

"Fionna—" Gumball reached for me.

"Wait," Marshall said, interrupting Gumball, keeping his hand on Gumball's chest so he couldn't walk up to me.

The Seeress's eyes fell slightly, looking just below my mine, her hands falling to the front of her legs, the dagger still firm in her grasp. "To kill the king, the dagger must be filled with his power, pure, without sin. His weakness is held as a piece that's expelled from his body before his evil could swell."

"You mean… his heart. You mean yourself," I said, my mind and body in shock with the sudden realization.

"Yes, she is right. The daggers' one blight is that it takes the last of the Lich's light."

"No. No, that can't be it. There's got to be another way. Seeress! Please! Tell me there's another way!" I screamed it at her, trying again to lunge for her, to hold her and protect her from herself.

She glided away from me, backing herself up to her mirrors where I could see every angle of her. "Stop! Stay back! She must not lose track of the reason she's come so far to attack!" she yelled, holding the dagger up in the air, poising it to aim straight to her heart. Tears were streaming down her face as she sobbed, this time staring directly at me.

I screamed to her, sprinting as fast as I could, my hands out to her, begging her to stop. Marshall flew at her, too, darting towards her in the air. She was so far away! I wasn't close enough! She was going to…

"I choose this day to break from my fate! I will not blindly follow his hate!" She closed her eyes tightly, raised her arms just a little more, and plunged the dagger straight into her heart.

Blood poured out of her chest, covering her pale hands and dark dagger. She fell back against a mirror, shattering it with her body, and slid down the broken shards until she sat limply on the ground. Marshall landed right next to her, quickly moving his hands towards her to lift her, move her, or do _something_ to help her. His hands shot back as he neared her body. There was electricity around her, crackling and energizing, shocking Marshall when he tried to touch her.

Just inches from her body I dropped to my knees from my sprint and slid to her side, tears running down my face as I begged her to take it back. I tried to touch her body, but it was no use. The electricity shocked my hand away. I tried to withstand the current, to force my fingers to her face, but the energy was too much. The sheer force of it nearly knocked me back.

She took short, shallow breaths, her eyelids heavy over her eyes and a small stream of blood flowing from her lips. She turned her eyes to me, as if she was looking at me, and smiled. "T—take it… p—please…" she started, trying to lift her hand to the dagger. I was so overwhelmed with the pain of seeing her that way that I just nodded to her, wiping the tears from my blurry vision and reaching for the dagger. It was the only thing I could touch that wouldn't shock me away.

I gripped the hilt tightly, feeling the power, the energy course through it. Slowly, carefully, I tried to pull it out. She grunted and bit back screams of pain as I did, and it made me cringe and want to stop. Marshall wrapped his hand around mine, looking me dead in the eye, telling me _I know it's hard, but we can do this_. Together we carefully pulled the dagger all the way out, leaving a big, gaping wound in the small girls' body.

The crackling electricity faded away, and I tossed the dagger to the ground, focusing on lifting her from the glass and holding her in my arms. She coughed and closed her eyes, her breathing gradually getting lighter and lighter.

I leaned my forehead against hers, my tears falling onto her face as I rocked her gently in my arms. "Please… please don't… it's not worth it…"

"Fi—ionna… thank… you…" she whispered, smiling up at me. I tried so hard to smile back, to bite back the tears for her and show her that someone cared about her, that someone wanted to spend time with her and love her and be her friend. She deserved that much. She deserved to know that.

With one long, painful sigh, she let out her last breath as I held her in my arms.


	14. Chapter 14: Prepare

"Is she… is she gone?" Gumball whispered from behind me, his hand on my shoulder. I just hung my head above her lifeless body, laying her down gently on the cold ground. "Let me try something," Gumball said, sliding out from behind me and dropping on one knee next to her. I watched him in curious surprise, still too heart-broken to actually speak. He ruffled through his coat pocket and brought out a glowing ball with six rings twisting and turning inside of it. "Sam, Bubblegum and I have been working on this for quite some time. We decided that if you were ever to risk going to see The Seeress again, you would need a back-up plan." He laid the ball gently on her open chest where the wound was. Slowly, it sank in, the flesh and bone absorbing it. I watched in wonder and amazement, part of me wanting to just let her rest in peace, but part of me hoping that whatever this was would bring her back, or turn back time, or do something to make this different. "They say she would crush the hearts of those impure, so for over a year we've been working on this device that could serve as a replacement heart. At least for the time being. We never had the chance to test it, though, and I'm not sure if it'll work if the patient has passed on already. But… we can hope…"

As he finished speaking the whole orb was absorbed into her body. We waited, staring at her, hoping that she would breathe again, or move, or even blink. Nothing happened. I hung my head again, knowing we had failed her. If I had just never come to her, she would have never ended up this way. I felt like it was my fault.

Just then, the earth shook around us. We all shot straight up off the ground and looked around, seeing the crows fly away squawking, the trees shivering, the dirt vibrating, and… the darkness. It was consuming everything. It crept up the mountainside and started eating the rocks and the dirt. I picked up the bloody dagger and ran to the edge of the crater and looked down at the base. There was a layer of black mist pooling there, growing denser by the second.

I turned to them and started shouting orders. "Marshall! Fly her to the Candy Palace! Keep her somewhere safe, where she can be watched over. Gumball, you and I are going to make a run for it down the mountain. You need to get the Banana Guards moving, tell them to evacuate everyone they can, and whoever can't be evacuated need to get somewhere safe."

Without hesitation, Marshall scooped the small body up into his arms and sprinted into the air. "I'll send Lord to get you guys!" he called, and darted down the mountain.

Gumball ran up to me, and I helped him over the edge of the crater, him pulling me up. Together we ran as fast as we could down the shaking mountain. The black mist swirled around our feet, consuming the snow and cold dirt. The trees were whispering again, but this time I could hear them. They were telling me that I failed her, that I killed her… I killed a little girl. I listened and realized that that's what they were whispering to me the whole time. They were trying to break me down, and feed off of my negative emotions. They were trying to wear me thin.

I shut them out and continued running, jumping over bushes and dodging trees. Gumball had a hard time keeping up, so I grabbed his hand and pulled him along, sprinting down the mountain. We were about halfway down when Lord appeared above us. He landed about 10 feet from where we were, so we just ran and jumped into his back, and in no time at all we were in the air and heading back to the Candy Palace.

"Fionna, what do you plan to do? You said _I_ needed to evacuate everyone, but you didn't say what you were going to do," Gumball said into my ear as the cold wind whipped past us.

I looked down at the dagger in my hands, the blood gradually being absorbed into it. "I'm going to Ooo. We're going to need help."

He wrapped his arms tightly around my waist and leaned his chin on my shoulder. "Are you going to be alright, Fionna?"

I trailed my fingers down the exotic blade of the dagger, thinking. "I just hope your invention works. She didn't deserve to be a sacrifice."

We stayed quiet the rest of the way, finally getting to the Candy Palace about 10 minutes later. I thanked Lord and asked him if he could drop me by the Fire Kingdom entrance after I ran into the lab really quick. He tapped his hoof on the floor in agreement, so I darted into the lab to get a few of the hairs. Gumball immediately set out to scramble the guards and make announcements over the intercom for everyone to leave or to get inside. Marshall and Doctor Prince were in the infirmary, getting The Seeress set up on an IV.

I rushed back out of the palace, hopped onto Lord, and together we flew like lightening to the portal area. Quickly I hopped off Lord and buried the hair, waiting for the portal to open. The rock burst into an array of color before expanding into a circle and showing me Ooo, just as black and cold as Aaa. "Lord, go back and help King Gumball and Marshall get everyone to safety. I'm going to get Cake and the others." He whinnied and flew off, acknowledging my plan. I held my breath, hopped through the portal, and travelled to Ooo.

To my surprise, Cake was already waiting there, halfway done burying some hair to come back. I ran up and hugged her close, falling to my knees, burying my face in her warm, sweet fur. She wrapped her limbs around and around me, tying me to her. "I've missed you so much, Cake! So much has happened!" I cried into her fur. Then I pulled back and looked at her in the eye. "But we don't have time. All that black stuff, all the weirdness going on, that was all the Lich. We have just over five hours before he's coming to Aaa. We need to be there, and we need help."

"The Lich? He's coming? Girl, I _knew_ something bad was going to happen today, but I did _not_ expect that! My tail's been frizzin' out all day!" She unwrapped me and grew into a massive, long-legged cat, swinging her tail at me to scoop me up and set me on her back. "Let's go get some help, then!"

She ran as fast as her long legs could take us to the palace. We reached it in no time at all, keeping the fast pace as we burst through the doors. "I'll get QB and Marcy in the nursery, you go get Finn and Jake in the garden," she said, sprinting off in the opposite direction. I turned and ran to the gardens, almost flying through the doors as I sprinted out, calling their names.

"Whoah, hey Fi! What's up?" Finn asked as I almost ran head first into him.

"The—the…" I had to take deep, gulping breaths between my panting before I could speak right. "The Lich! He's coming to Aaa! We need to get back there to fight him!"

"The _Lich_? Man we banished that guy _years_ ago!" Jake said casually, walking up next to us.

"I know, but The Seeress opened the portal for him to return. That's what all this black junk around our worlds is! It's his influence! It was a warning of his arrival!"

"Wait, The Seeress did this?" Finn asked angrily, clenching his fists.

"It's not what you think! She was forced to! She was his creation from the beginning! There's—there's a lot more to it than you think. But we don't have time! Less than 5 hours before he shows up!"

"Oh my glob! 5 hours?! Let's get going, then!" Finn exclaimed, sprinting past me towards the palace. Jake and I followed and were met by Marcy, Bubblegum and Cake in the entrance hall. "Guys! The Lich—"

"We know! Hurry, we need to get our stuff," Marcy interrupted, grabbing both Finn and Bubblegum and flying up the stairs towards the lab and the Royal Couple's Room.

"How much did you tell them?" I asked Cake.

"Not much, before they rushed me and headed towards you guys. I didn't even have to convince them both to go. Now that they know the threat isn't in Ooo, they're okay with leaving the royal babies guarded with the entire candy army and every nanny in the Candy Kingdom," she explained, shrugging her shoulders.

"Yeah, they're really protective of their kiddies. No one is getting to those little monsters," Jake said, smiling warmly at the thought.

I just nodded and started pacing, completely impatient and wanting so badly to get moving. The wait seemed like forever, but within minutes they returned all supped up. Finn had two swords crossing his back, another sword on his belt, and a satchel across his shoulder. He even had some pieces of armor, one going down his sword arm and a couple of shoulder pieces. I admit I was a little jealous. He looked really freaking cool. Marcy had her axe strapped to her back. I guess in times of trial, it was okay to use an instrument of badassitude, as she called it, for battle. And Bubblegum showed up with an array of scientific weapons and bottled formulas. Seeing the three of them prepared and ready to go relieved my anxiety immensely. They all looked like they were preparing for war.

I guess, in a way, they were.

"You guys look AWESOME!" I exclaimed, feeling more pumped by the minute.

Bubblegum blushed a little, but righted herself to face me as a queen. "Is there anything else we should bring with us? Anything that could help?" she asked.

I thought about it for a moment. "No. The one thing that'll take the Lich down is this." I pulled out the dagger and showed it to them, letting Finn glide his excited gaze over the blade. "The Seeress said that this dagger was the one he created to pierce his own heart. This blade, combined with the blood and power from his heart, will be the thing to take him down."

"How do we get blood and power from his heart?" Marcy asked, looking confused and worried.

I dropped my head, holding the dagger to my chest and trying to hold it together. "The, uh… The Seeress… she was his heart. He created her from himself so that, on this exact day, she could open a portal for him to return. He gave her his heart, so he didn't have to feel sympathy anymore. She… gave her life. For this."

Finn came up and pulled me into a tight hug, his armor hard and cool against my arms. "She made the right decision, Fionna. The Lich _needs_ to go down."

I nodded into his chest, afraid that if I said anything outright, I'd burst into tears. I took a step back from him, took a deep breath, and stood tall. "We should go. The portal might still be up, but bring some hairs anyway. Cake and I will get a head start. You guys should say goodbye to your babies."

They all nodded in agreement, Jake joining them, and the four of them headed to the nursery. In a liquid, calculated motion, Cake and I sprinted out the door, me jumping onto her back as she grew to that massive cat again so we could get to the portal as soon as possible.

A little more than four hours remained. We didn't have an army, but we had a ragtag team of extraordinary people, the will to win, and the need for revenge. And, in my hands, I had the instrument that would end it all.

We were ready for him.


	15. Chapter 15: The Battle

We all met up with Marshall and Gumball just outside of the Candy Palace. The whole earth was shaking terribly, making it hard to stand at first, but after a while I think we all got used to it. The first thing I noticed as we came through the portal was the massive black hole tearing open in the distance. It looked like it was coming from the field where I first saw the black tree. As dark and terrible as the situation seemed, for a split second I was relieved that the Lich wouldn't be anywhere near civilization.

"How's she doing?" I asked Gumball impatiently, still holding tightly to the small spark of hope that his invention would work.

"So far there's been no signs of her waking up. It's the first time we've ever tried it though, so it may take some time. She's also born of magic, so that might be making things difficult." I hung my head, trying to hide my disappointment from everyone. Gumball hugged me tight and whispered in my ear, "She'll be fine, Fionna. I promise."

I hugged him back tightly before stepping back and getting a good look at everyone. Gumball had a satchel filled with knick knacks slung over his shoulder, ready to lob his bombs and potions at whatever threatened us. Marshall had his axe, too, but there was something else about him. Something… different.

"Marshall, what—"

"I called on Hannah. Sort of. More like she came to me," he answered before I could even get my words out. My heart sank and my jaw fell open as I stared at him disbelievingly. "Don't worry, Fi! It's not like that. She granted me control of the shadows. She said this world was no business of hers, but she didn't want to risk the Lich's evil seeping into the Nightosphere. She had enough to deal with."

"S—so… there's no contracts?"

"Nope. I'm free and clear to bend the shadows at my every whim. Pretty cool huh?" He smirked at me, enjoying my momentary freak out.

"That's awesome, Marshall! Why didn't I think of asking daddy for the shadows?" Marcy exclaimed.

"That _is_ pretty cool, Marshall. But we need a plan of attack. The Lich is supposed to come in about 3 hours. The field where the portal is opening is about an hour and a half walk from here, about 30 minutes if we fly. I know the air is dark and heavy, so walking may be our best bet."

They all nodded at me in agreement, then Finn came up to stand next to me, facing the group. From the outside, it probably looked like two commanders addressing their army.

"Fionna, do we know exactly what time he'll be here? Or any way we can close the portal?" Finn asked, looking serious and ready to fight.

"No, there's no way to close the portal. Not that we know of. And for time, well, The Seeress said 6 hours from when we were there. I'm guessing he'll break through just before sunset. Marshall, Gumball, did you guys manage to get everyone evacuated?"

"Everyone we could, my dear. Whoever couldn't leave is either hiding in the palace basement or in their own basements. The Candy Kingdom is a ghost town," Gumball reported.

"Okay, great. We're off to a good start. Now, for a plan of attack. Here's what I'm thinking: he probably knows we'll be waiting for him, so he's probably got some kind of magic protection. I don't think he's expecting the shadows to attack, so Marshall, you should be his main point of surprise." Marshall nodded, waiting for the rest. "Gumball and Bubblegum, if you guys have anything to blind-sight him or catch his attention, use it. We probably can't hit him with potions or bullets, but if we can get him to stumble, or even lose focus for just a few seconds, then we could get close to him. Cake and Jake, once he's distracted, if you can, try to hold him down, but _only_ if he isn't casting some kind of crazy protection spell. I don't want anyone getting hurt in this." They all nodded and mumbled in agreement, embracing their roles in this. "Finn, you've fought him before. You're the one who trapped him, so when he sees you, he'll probably go straight for you. When that happens, act like you're the one who's supposed to take him down. Be his main focus. And Marcy, I'll need your help. I don't think poking at his ankle with this dagger is going to kill him. I think he needs to be hit somewhere important, somewhere vital. I'll need you to drop me on top of him just as he's at the pique of his distraction. Then, I'll take the dagger and plunge it into his skull." I looked around as everyone looked to me, listening to my plan and getting pumped to fight. Their confidence, their strength, their will to win; all of it made me feel invincible. "We're going to take him down! For Ooo! For Aaa!" I screamed, raising the dagger into the air. Together the thrust their fists and weapons into the air with mine, screaming with me, ready to fight.

I turned and struck the dagger towards the portal, signaling the move forward. "For Billy," I whispered under my breath as we marched. "For Seeress."

* * *

Just as I said, it took us an hour and a half to get there on foot. The air was heavy and laden with the blackness that covered the trees and the dirt. Mist swirled around our feet as we walked and the trees whispered horrifying things to us. "Don't listen!" I would tell them, encouraging them to keep their heads and know that it was all a trick.

The field was covered in black, dying wheat. Snow was falling lightly onto the ground, but there was no sign of it when it hit. It was all absorbed by the blackness. The sky was covered in grey clouds, turning everything into a shadow.

There, where the tree once stood, was the portal. It was tall enough to fit a mountain through, and wide enough for a giant snail to crawl in. The edges of the portal bended and warped the scene around it, creating what looked like the earth and air being sucked into a giant mouth. It crackled with electricity, and air whooshed around us as the portal drew it in. All of the wheat bent towards it, as well as our clothes and hair.

"Alright everyone, get into position. He'll be coming out right there, and when he does, we'll be ready for him. Cake and Jake, hide in the wheat on either side of the portal. Gumball and Bubblegum, stay in the trees and lob what you can at him as soon as he comes out. Marshall, do whatever you need to do to summon the shadows. Finn, stay directly in front of the portal. He needs to see you when he comes out. Marcy, you and I are going to go behind the portal. Finn, draw your sword the moment you see something coming. That'll be our cue to attack."

Jake and Cake took off immediately, hiding in the wheat, sticking out with their creamy golden fur coloring. If the wheat hadn't been swallowed by blackness, they would have blended perfectly. Finn, Marcy and Bubblegum gathered together one last time before we would start this battle, saying their I-love-you's and good-luck's. I watched for a moment and knew, right then and there, that I would _not_ fail them. I would do everything in my power to make sure they went home together.

"Fionna," Gumball said, interrupting my thoughts. I turned to him and Marshall standing behind me, holding hands. Each of them reached their hands out to mine, and together we completed a circle. "You have done so well today. You've brought us together and gave us a purpose. You've proven, beyond a doubt, that you are meant to be our fearless queen," he said, both of them smiling at me in deep and honored appreciation. They let go of each other and took my hands in both of theirs, falling to their knees, and gently kissing my knuckles, one after the other.

"I will follow you anywhere, your highness," Marshall whispered against my hand.

"As will I, my queen," Gumball breathed, looking up at me.

I fell to my knees and pulled them both into me, holding them so tight that I'm sure I almost broke Gumball's neck. "I love you," I whispered through the tears. We stood on our knees in the cold, dark snow for a few moments, soaking up whatever affection we could before the battle. No one wanted to admit it, but this might be the last time we ever get to see each other.

"Fionna? Fionna! I—I think something's wrong!" I heard Finn call out. Immediately we all stood up and looked in Finn's direction.

Through the portal, a small, claw-like hand appeared. It dragged itself out, carrying its whole body with it. The creature looked like a pitch-black gremlin, with long, pointed ears, two small horns, and piercing red eyes. It cocked its head and snickered at us.

"What is _that_?" Gumball asked, confused and afraid.

Just then, it lunged straight for Finn, claws out and teeth barred. In one fluid motion, Finn pulled out the sword with the brown and black leather hilt and slashed the gremlin in the air. The thing didn't fall, or scream, or anything. It hissed and burst into black mist.

"What the glob is going on here?" Bubblegum yelled, getting her huge gun thing ready and pointing it at the portal. Everyone followed suit, Marshall and Marcy holding out their axes, Jake turning his fists into two spiked iron balls, Cake turning her arms and claws into spiked whips, Gumball pulling out 4 small bombs between his fingers, and me unsheathing my unbreakable crystal sword. We all stood ready for a fight.

We didn't have to wait long. The gremlins began to pour out of the black hole, swarming the fields. Jake and Cake crushed them by the dozen, while Finn and I hacked and slashed away at the steady flow of little monsters. Marshall and Marcy swung their axes, sometimes crushing them with their strength or biting off their heads. Bubblegum blasted droves of them at a time, and Gumball threw out bombs into the densest areas. Every single one of them burst into shadows and mist the moment they were slain, and every single one of them was replaced by two, sometimes three, more.

As if the gremlins weren't enough, shadow birds began to dart out of the portal, dive bombing us whenever we weren't looking. Bubblegum did a good job at blasting them from the sky, while Marshall and Marceline smashed their fists into them in the air. The rest of us focused on the gremlins as best we could. Finn and I ended up back to back, using the same moves and techniques, together creating a whirlwind of blades that couldn't be penetrated. Cake would turn herself into a slingshot and Jake into a cannonball, and together they would crush at least 60 of them. Gumball pulled out a small dagger I'd given him years ago and used that to slash at the creatures if they managed to get close to him after he threw his bombs. He was actually pretty good at wielding it, or, at least, better than I expected.

The fight raged on like that for at least an hour. Those of us who weren't used to fighting grew tired, and those of us who were used to it pushed through the exhaustion. The creatures that came out of the portal began to grow in size and strength, but lessened greatly in number, so it was no longer birds and gremlins, but wraiths and shadow beasts. Marshall, Marceline and Bubblegum tore and shot at the wraiths in the sky, dodging attacks from their sharp claws and razor teeth. Jake and Cake began to take out the beasts one at a time, working together to wrap themselves around the beasts and crush them with their bodies. Finn and I also worked together to take them down. Finn would pick me up and throw me onto one of them, and I'd plunge my sword into its back, or I'd crouch on my knees and Finn would run straight at me, and I would launch him off of me and onto the nearest beast around.

In a slight break, I took a look around me. Everyone, _everyone_ was beat up and exhausted. Marshalls torso was bare and covered in claw marks, and Marcy had blood dripping down her arm and staining her jeans. Bubblegum had a gash on her face, and blood was staining her white sweater on her side. Gumball had claw marks going down from his shoulder to his elbow, and Cake's eye was beginning to swell, blood splattered all over her white fur. Jake had a swollen lip and a gash on his back, and Finn was pretty bruised up, his armor dented and stained with bite marks and blood. I was hit in the face with a claw, and I could feel the blood trickling from my cheek down to my neck, and the bite mark on my thigh stung and burned.

But still, despite all our wounds and exhaustion, not one of us stopped fighting. I smiled to myself in my moment of recognition, feeling energized and determined to keep doing, and raised my sword to bring it crashing down into a beasts head.

Then, out of nowhere, everything came to a stop. The earth groaned beneath us, the birds and gremlins and beasts and wraiths all stood still, the trees shook, and the portal expanded. Something was coming.

It was time.


	16. Chapter 16: The Lich King

All of the shadow creatures went completely still, stopping dead in their tracks. Even the birds fell to the ground from lack of movement. What the lump was happening?

Simultaneously, we all turned to face the portal. There was no time to get into position now. No time for a plan. We were tired and bloodied and bruised, and the Lich hadn't even come out yet. Finn limped over to me and laid a heavy hand on my shoulder, leaning on me slightly.

"Fionna, are you ready for this?" he asked, his eyes glued to the portal.

"No," I answered honestly, gliding my sword blade along my jeans to clean it off. I, nor anyone else, was in any way prepared for this. We weren't expecting an army of shadow minions to invade first. We really didn't know what to expect. It's been 8 years since anyone has seen or heard from the Lich, and 8 years was more than enough time to soften up.

"Me either," he said, shooting me a side-long grin.

"He's coming out!" Marshall shouted from the sky. He was right. At the edges of the portal, five massive, boney fingers reached out of either side of the portal, gripping the edges. Slowly, the points of the horns on his crown emerged, each horn looking to be the size of one of us. We all watched, dazed and terrified, as piece by piece the Lich emerged into our world. The mist grew so thick and dense that it was hard to breathe, and the stench of his rotting flesh overwhelmed my senses. It was enough to break me of my horrified trance.

"Gumball! Bubblegum! Now! Aim for the eyes!" I shouted behind me, darting to the other side of the portal. We couldn't attack the way we wanted to, but we could at least try.

I heard 5 simultaneous explosions to the left of me as I ran to the back of the portal. I turned, just for a moment, to see what was happening. Nothing. Not a single shot hit him. The explosions went off right in front of his glowing, skeletal eyes, but they didn't even leave a scratch. He lumbered his massive body through the portal, his whole head fully out, his shoulders and legs and torso following close behind. I knew he wasn't always this big. It had to have been some kind of magic. He was Billy's size 8 years ago, but now… now he could barely fit through the massive portal.

I stopped dead in my tracks, my whole plan thrown off balance. I needed time to think, but I didn't have it. No one was in any position to attack or defend. Marshall was hanging in the air, one arm wrapped around his damaged torso. Gumball was running out of bombs, but more importantly, he had never been in a battle like this before. He didn't know how to handle pain, and it was starting to get to him. He was sweating heavily in the cold snow, the blood on his arm thickening in the cold air. Bubblegum and Marcy nursed their wounds, just for a few moments, trying to get their bearings and hold an attack position. Cake wobbled as she stood, but Jake came to help her up, and together, they faced the Lich like they were the very last line of defense. And Finn… Finn never faltered. He had a fire in him that could torch any evil and bring confidence to any ally. He stood strong, with both swords in his hands, ready to attack.

I sheathed my sword quietly behind my back, hoping the Lich wouldn't hear me and would be too focused on them. They had no strength left to be fighting as distractions, so I had to make this quick. I pulled the Grimoire Dagger from my belt, gripping its charged and hardened hilt tightly in my hand.

The moment the blade of the dagger hit the darkness swarming in the air, he turned his massive head towards me, his eyes piercing into my soul.

_"Fiooonnaaa, where did you get something like that? It doesn't belong to you,_" he chanted, his voice low and threatening, but still sing-song, patronizing. His jaws never moved, but still his voice echoed in my head.

"It doesn't matter where I got it! All that matters is what I'm going to do with it!" I screamed, sprinting right at him, ready to lunge onto him.

I was hit with a massive force in my side. It was so fast and so hard that it knocked the wind right out of me. I choked and struggled to breathe, and as my breath came back, I suddenly came to the realization of what had happened. His rotted, skeletal hand had swooped me up from the ground, clenching tightly around my body, and holding me in front of his terrifying face.

_"Such a wretch that child was. A first _and_ last creation, and so weak. She served her purpose well, but I see she's betrayed me. Stupid child."_ He squeezed around me tighter as I struggled. I could hear the cries of my friends as they tried to come after me, but it was no use. No one could touch him. _"It is of no matter, now. Not even you can touch me, Daughter of Billy. That dagger should never have been entrusted to such a weak soul like yours if anyone ever expected to defeat me." _His cackling laughter rang out in my head, loud and consuming, to the point where I could hardly think.

I may have been weak. I may have been exhausted. I may have been hurt, and bleeding, and sore, and tired, but I _would not_ let him win. He had far too much to answer for. I reached my arms up, arching them behind me to pull out my sword again. Just as my fingers touched it, everything changed.

Everything.

I wasn't in the Lich's hand anymore. I wasn't in the black wheat field, or in the snow, or near my friends. I was in a house. It was warm, and cozy, and there was this wonderful smell of rabbit stew on the stove. And that _sound_… what was that? Humming? I walked slowly, carefully, through the small house, following the sound of the humming. It was beautiful, and mystifying, and… familiar.

The humming was coming from a room in the back. I peeked my head through the doorway to see where it was coming from and who was doing it, and what I saw shocked me. There, in a rocking chair, was a beautiful woman, a beautiful _human_ woman, with blonde hair and blue eyes and cream colored skin. And in her arms was a baby, with blonde hair and blue eyes just like hers, and as she rocked and hummed to the baby, the baby just smiled up at her.

She was my mother. And the baby… that was me.

Tears welled in my eyes and quickly flooded my cheeks as I took a step through the door. "Mom?" I asked, reaching a hand out to her. She didn't respond, but maybe she didn't hear me. "Mom! It's me, Fionna! I'm all grown up and—" I reached for her, and my arm went right through her shoulder. I was invisible, like a ghost, or a visitor from the outside looking in. She couldn't hear me or see me. She just hummed and rocked the baby in her arms.

The front door slammed hard, and the beautiful woman's face twisted into confusion and fear. "Billy? Billy, is that you?"

"Katherine…" a deep, familiar voice growled. The footsteps grew heavier and the air grew thick with terror. What the—

Billy burst through the door, his body and face looking young and radiant, but his eyes looking piercing with bloodlust. No, this couldn't be Billy. Billy would never have that look…

"Billy, what's wrong?" Katherine asked, standing straight up and holding the baby close to her. He didn't answer her. He stomped right through me, shaking the walls, and grabbed her by the throat. Her eyes were overflowing with tears as she gasped and screamed for mercy. He just clutched her tighter, lifting her into the air by her neck. The fear in her eyes! The terror! I tried to jump on him, to pull him off of her, but it was no use. All I could do was watch.

She held onto that baby with every ounce of strength she had, kicking her feet beneath her desperately for some leverage. I heard the bones and cartilage in her throat begin to snap as her airway collapsed. She was dying—no, she was being _killed_—right in front of me. I was watching my own mothers death.

I screamed and begged him to stop, to let her go, but nothing worked. He couldn't hear me, or see me, or feel me. This wasn't right. This wasn't right! Billy would never do this! The Lich did this! Right? Right?!

This was so wrong!

I fell to my knees and sobbed, still pleading for him to let her go. Just as her arms gave out under the baby, Billy reached over and grabbed the child by the blanket it was wrapped in. He dropped the lifeless woman onto the floor and held the baby up to his face. As the baby cried and screamed, he sneered at it. "Pitiful," he said, tossing it into the crib.

Something pulsed in my hand, but I was too absorbed in the tragedy unfolding in front of me. It pulsed again, harder, and this time, I looked down. Was that… was that a dagger? I don't remember a dagger—

_This isn't real, Fionna!_

What… was that?

_This isn't real! See with the eye!_

Who was that voice talking to me? What eye? I looked down at the dark, exotic dagger, confused and feeling tortured. The longer I stared at it, the more familiar it became. I _knew_ this dagger, but from where?

Just then, an eye-shaped, red hole appeared in the mystical dagger. It seemed to be looking right at me, but bidding me to look through it at the same time.

_Yes! That's right! Look through the eye! _

I held the dagger up to my tear streaked face, closing one eye and using the other one to look through. Instantly, everything changed.

My mother, though dead, did not look anything close to being a simple house wife. She wore leather armor and had a sword, bloodied and covered in debris, gripped in one hand. Her throat was still crushed, but her lip and eye were swollen and there was blood trickling from her lip. She was no helpless woman. She was a warrior. We weren't in a house, either. We were in a castle, one I had never seen before. Was this where Billy and Katherine lived before… before this?

The dagger drew my eye to the man who crushed my mother's throat. With the eye of the dagger guiding me, I could see right past the illusion. It wasn't Billy, not at all. It was the Lich, just as The Seeress said. His blood had stained my mother's blade and, as he weakly tossed me into a crib, I could see his life force draining. He may have been strong, but my mother was enough to seriously wound him. He gripped his bleeding stomach with one arm and set a fire in the palm of his other hand. With the last of his strength, he lit the sheets of the bed on fire.

_"Clever girl, seeing right past my pretty pictures that I made just for you. Did you enjoy them? What was it like seeing your mother for the first time? Tell me… what was it like… watching her die?"_ His sultry, patronizing voice rang through my head as the scene around me twisted and whirled, to the point where nothing was solid anymore.

I knew where I really was. I knew I still had the dagger in my hand, and my body was still wrapped up in his decrepit fingers. I screamed out my frustration, held the dagger above my head, and plunged it down into the area right in front of me.

My reality snapped back to where it should have been; in the battlefield, in front of the Lich. He screamed out in agony and released my body, so that I was only hanging there by the hilt of the dagger. I saw his other hand coming for me, so quickly I put all my weight onto the dagger, sliding it down his rotting flesh like butter. I managed to tear a hole in his arm going from his hand to his elbow. There was no blood, no muscle in that gash. Steam just crept out of it, and all I saw was black mist hovering inside his arm. Just like the monsters around the old-world relics.

Except this time, the mist didn't heal him.

I felt excited, recharged. I could do this! The dagger actually worked! He couldn't heal, or regenerate, or even patch himself up when he was cut like this. I used all my strength to climb up onto his elbow, his arm still extended as he tried to sooth the pain of the dagger.

_"You will pay for this, human girl!" _he roared. His good hand came flying at me, so with as much speed as I could muster, I pierced the dagger into his arm again and hung down from it, using his flesh to shield me. As his massive fingers came around, trying to catch me, his nail took a chunk out of my arm. I screamed in pain and let go of the dagger, hanging by one hand, the other one feeling numb with the blood I was losing. I could still move my arm and fingers, but the pain was nearly unbearable, and the numbness was quickly spreading across my skin. I bit my tongue hard and threw my arm back up to the dagger, forcing myself to pull me up again. This time, before he could move his hand away, I stabbed him right in the center of it, causing him to roar out in pain and tear his hand back.

He did just what I needed. As he pulled his hand up to his face, I tore the dagger out of his skin, and, with a running start, leaped off of his finger, and hurdled towards his chest.

So close! I was so close to ending it all! Just a little more—

_THWACK!_

Once more, I was hit with a blinding force. I felt ribs crack and skin break, and then I felt the cold, icy air fly past me. No… no! No! I was _right there_! Right there! How could he have possibly—

I was caught, mid-air, by a set of familiar arms. As I looked up, I saw Marshall's bruised, worried face looking down at me. He held me in the air, hooking his arms under mine, both of us biting back the pain.

"Fionna! Are you alright?!" he cried, changing our direction.

I gulped hard and nodded. "I—I think so. I need to get back over to him! The dagger, if I can get it into his heart—"

Marshall faltered, dropping our altitude slightly. He couldn't hold me much longer, and I wouldn't be able to reach the Lich's heart just by being dropped onto him. I had another plan.

"Marshall! Throw me to Marcy!" I yelled, hoping she could hear me. He gritted his teeth and gathered his strength, and before I knew it, I was hurdling through the air again. Marceline caught me under the arms, turning us away from the Lich and towards Bubblegum. Perfect. "Marcy, I'm going to need you to drop me when I give the signal, okay?"

"Whatever you say, Fi!" she called down to me, focusing on her flying. A loud whistling shot through the air, and Marcy jerked hard to the right. A giant ball of green, fiery energy flew right past us, almost skinning our legs and sides. The Lich was firing at us.

"Bubblegum! I need you to aim for his heart!" I screamed down to her, reaching behind me for my crystal sword. She looked right at me, her face set with determination, and aimed her cannon straight to his heart. "Ready Marcy… and… now!" I yelled, looking straight down. She dropped me instantly, and I was falling fast. "Fire!" I screamed as I fell, being at least 5 stories in the air.

I tucked my sword under my feet, crouching on it like a surf board and hoping to glob that this worked. I closed my eyes tight, bracing myself for either the ground, the blast, or the success of my plan.

It hit. Just where I wanted it to. The blast from her cannon hit my sword under my feet, and in no time I was flying through the air, the energy shot leading me straight for his heart. He had his hands in the air above his head, collecting so much power that the earth started to rip and tear beneath him. I poised the dagger right in front of me, letting go of the sword and using both hands to position it.

I needed to reach him before he let go of that power. I _needed_ to hit him before he hit us.

Not even a full second had passed, but it felt like an eternity. The blast hit his barrier, stopping there, but had enough strength and velocity to shoot me right through his protection. I pushed off my sword as hard as I could, the only thing keeping me in the air now being sheer will and physics.

Dagger poised.

Body ready.

Mind focused.

The power in his hands began to overflow. In the final moment, he raised the ball of force, getting ready to throw it.

3…

2…

1…

Contact.


	17. Chapter 17: Free

There was a massive blast of white light, and pain. There was pain _everywhere_. That was all I could remember. Then, the pain was gone, and I felt free, and light, and happy.

I felt _happy_.

I waded through the whiteness for a while, not knowing if I was alive or dead. I felt at peace, and didn't care either way. Eventually, the white faded and molded into something more… touchable. I came to a field of beautiful green grass, with flowers of every color, even colors I'd never seen before, spread all over the place. The sky directly above me was as blue as the sea, with little white clouds moving scarcely through it. Off in the distance I could make out pines, but after that, it was just white. It looked like an unfinished painting, a break in the nothingness.

In the center of the field was a stone bench covered in ivy. Something inside told me to go there, to sit on it. I did as it said, sitting on the comfortable stone bench, feeling the breeze, smelling the sweet scent of the flowers, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight.

"You've done well, Fionna," a voice said next to me. Slowly, gradually, a familiar figure appeared before me.

"Did you know it would end up like this?" I asked, my eyes focused on the gentle sway of the flowers.

"No, but I knew that one day, my daughter would do what I could not. I'm so proud of you," Billy answered, his fingers crossed in his lap, his white hair and beard flowing with the breeze, like the flowers.

I leaned my head against his shoulder, feeling totally at ease. This was so different from my dream. This was just… serenity. "Why didn't you ever tell me I was your daughter?"

He took a deep breath and sighed. "I didn't know how. My fate had been written already, and I didn't want you to face the tragedies I faced. I thought… it would be better, this way."

I closed my eyes and smiled. He hung his arm gently around my shoulders, holding me close to him. We sat there together, enjoying the never-ending sunlight, the constant, cool breeze, the gentle tickling of the grass that swayed at our ankles. I was at peace. I was content. I no longer felt hatred, or a need for revenge, or sadness or guilt or the need to protect or fight. I felt still.

Days went by like this, weeks, even. I couldn't tell. In this space that was just me and Billy, the sun never left, the breeze never stopped, the flowers never wilted and the grass never died. We didn't talk after that one conversation. We didn't need to. All that needed to be said was said, and I was okay with that.

"Fionna, your time has come. You need to go back now," he said, taking in a deep breath and slowly standing up. He held out a hand for me, lifting me from the bench, smiling at me.

"Go back where?" I asked, feeling only slightly confused.

He hugged me close to him, burying my face in his broad chest. "Home," he whispered. The wind picked up around us, and the clouds grew heavy. "I am so proud to call myself your father…" he said, pulling me away from him and looking over my face. "I am so proud to call you my daughter…"

Tears welled up in my eyes, spilling down my cheeks with joy and pride. "Dad…"

"Go now, Fionna. Go and be Aaa's true hero."

White light surrounded us, our landscape quickly fading away. Soon, Billy was engulfed by its warmth, his smiling face being the last thing I saw.

I felt like I was falling.

* * *

There was a repetitive beeping sound coming from somewhere. It was the first thing I noticed as the falling sensation wore off. The beeping, and that medical smell from the hospital. I felt heavy, and sore, and tired. There was a throbbing on my arm and in my ribs, but it was dull. I was dull. I felt slow and sluggish.

I heard voices, whispering voices around me. Everything still looked dark, but my eyes felt closed. Slowly, carefully, I opened them.

Bright! It was so bright! But familiar.

"She's waking up," someone said, their voice sounding fuzzy and muddled.

"Give her space, guys. Let her breathe," another voice rang, echoing slightly.

The figures that emerged from the brightness around me were blurry at best, but I had been here before. I knew what was happening, and I knew who they were. All of them.

I smiled as best I could, closing my eyes again and taking in a deep, shaky breath. "Hey guys… how's everyone doing?" I whispered. My throat didn't hurt like it did the last time I was here, just my chest. I was only sore in a few places, but then again, I hadn't tried to move yet.

"What's important is how _you're_ feeling," Gumballs sweet, calming voice asked.

I had to think about it for a second, moving my muscles to gauge the pain. "Not bad… just bruised. Did we… did we win?" I asked, my voice sounding a little stronger than before. I opened my eyes again, my vision clearing up as well.

"_You_ won, Fi," Marshalls voice said from the other side of me. I felt his cool hand on my forehead and saw his blurry face looking into mine. "You did it. You pierced his heart with that crazy dagger, _just_ before he let that bomb off. There was this ridiculous blast of light and darkness, and the next thing we know, everything was back to normal. The portal closed, the blackness went away, and then there was you…"

I cleared my throat and tried to adjust my body. I felt like I'd been laying there forever. "So," I grunted, sitting up and rubbing my eyes, "How long was I out this time?"

"Two months' time has since gone by since you've gone to sleep," a small, childish, and familiar voice rang out. That… that couldn't be her… it didn't rhyme! And she was gone… wasn't she?

I looked around all of the faces that surrounded me. Gumball was to my right, smiling warmly at me, holding my bandaged hand. His face was wrapped in bandages, but he still looked as handsome as the day I met him. Finn was next to him, his harm in a sling, but his face bright and boyish as usual. Marceline and Bubblegum stood at the edge of the bed, holding hands, bandages on Bubblegum's face and wrapping Marceline's arm. To my left stood Cake, looking healthy with tears overflowing in her eyes, and Jake next to her, smiling big at me. Then there was Marshall, his hand on my back and his shirt hanging loosely and open, revealing the bandages around his torso. They all looked like mummies, so I couldn't imagine what I looked like.

A small, pale face framed in long, brown hair poked out between Marcy and Bubblegum, and the two of them moved aside so the small girl could stand in front of me, the biggest smile I'd ever seen engulfing her childish face, her white eyes shining.

"Oh glob, it _is_ you!" I cried, tears forming in my eyes. "The invention worked! You're alive!"

"That I am, my friend. I've returned to this world." Her eyes stared off into space as usual, but I could feel her full focus on this dimension.

"But—but your _voice_… you're not talking in poetry!"

She giggled at my surprise. "No, I've no need for it now. Riddles and rhymes to pass the time are no need of mine. Though, sometimes, I cannot break the habit."

I couldn't help it. I burst into laughter, my ribs aching and pain shooting through my body at various points. She was alive! And she was free! And the Lich… he was dead! And everyone was okay, and Aaa was safe, and Billy…

Billy was proud of me.

I laughed and laughed and laughed, and soon, everyone was laughing with me. I felt light and free, despite all the pain that rocked through my body. Finally, in what felt like forever, everything was at peace. Everything had worked out.

I settled down and wiped the tears from my face, holding my burning ribs. The pain was becoming too much. I took deep breaths and relaxed, laying back on the pillow. "Wheeew, that was good. Glob, I'm tired, and sore!" I exclaimed, closing my eyes and smiling.

"We should probably let her rest, guys," Bubblegum said. "Let's go. We'll come visit tomorrow." Finn, Marcy and Jake all agreed with her, waving and calling out their goodbyes. I waved back with my good arm, watching Finn hold both of the girls close to him as Jake skipping along next to them.

Marshall leaned down to kiss me gently on the lips, stroking my face lightly with his thumb. "Get some rest, my little bunny girl." He pulled away, his fingers lingering on my cheek for a moment.

Then, Gumball leaned down to do the same, pushing my hair behind my ear. "I love you, Fionna," he said, smiling at me as he moved his lips away from mine. They both backed away, letting The Seeress come up to my side.

She looked down at my face, a smile permanently plastered there, brightening her pale features. "Sleep well, Fionna Pure Heart. For the both of you."

I nodded to her, my eyes growing heavy. Wait. "Hold on, _both of you?_" I asked, confused. "What do you mean?" Marshall and Gumball looked at her questioningly, too.

She just smiled, slightly more mischievous, slightly more giddy. "Oh, you didn't know?"

"Know what?" Marshall snapped, growing more anxious by the second.

She looked down and bit her lip, prolonging the agony. "Seven months more and a boy will be born, to the Candy Kingdom, a prince will be sworn."

My heart leaped and sank and leaped again as I listened, eyes wide and jaw hanging open. I looked to Marshall, then to Gumball. Marshalls face was stuck in an expression of surprise and disbelief. His eyes shifted back and forth in his lowered face as he thought rapidly about it. Gumball looked… excited. Beyond excited. His smile reached from ear to ear, and he brought his hands up to his chest, trying to hold in the surprise.

Gumball turned to me, his face bright and his eyes shining with hope and love.

"Fionna," he said, grabbing my hand in his. "You're pregnant!"

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I am ****_so_**** thankful for those of you who've stuck with me this whole time. I know I keep trying to end this story, but I just can't! As you can see, there will be a 5th part. I'm super excited to write it! It's not going to be epic and long like these, just a follow-up story of the royal trio in times of peace. Well, peace for the most part. Everyone's been asking for it, and with a few ideas thrown my way, I just can't help but write it. I can't wait!**

A very special thanks goes out to those of you who've cheered me on and supported me throughout my stories. Your reviews on the day-to-day drive me to keep writing, and I can't thank you guys enough. 

**I'm going to start writing soon enough, so for those of you keeping up with me, keep an eye out! I love you guys! Enjoy!**


End file.
